Queen's Christmas tree leaves royal fans confused with strange detail

The Queen's Christmas tree has been unveiled in celebration of the festive season, but royal fans are a little confused by the photos. 

• The Queen's Christmas tree was unveiled at Windsor Castle on Thursday, marking the official start of Britain's festive season. 
• The magnificent display has left some royal fans slightly confused, however, because of one small detail. 
• In other royal news, this is how Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will celebrate their first Thanksgiving with Lilibet.
  

The Queen's Christmas tree for 2021 has finally been erected at Windsor Castle, much to the excitement of royal fans. 

The 20ft tall Nordmann Fir is currently undergoing its 'finishing touches' at its long-held spot in St. George's Hall, where it will soon be available for the public to view. 

Her Majesty's devout staff have adorned the stunning tree's branches with traditional festive ornaments, including baubles, bells, and bows, as well as a generous sprinkle of fairy lights. 

On its peak sits a golden-robed doll, which is likely a symbol of the angel Gabriel from the Nativity of Jesus. Visitors to the display will also be able to see an exhibition of royal pantomime costumes from the 1940s, which features the Queen's quirky teenage outfit that caught a young Prince Philip's eye. 

The process of decorating the Royal Family's tree is no easy task, with last year's project taking a whopping 13 hours to complete. Not only are there hundreds of decorations to hang up, but there's also the obstacle of reaching the Fir's higher branches. And with standard ladders rarely extending 7 or 8ft in height, it's hardly surprising that royal fans are scratching their heads wondering just how Windsor Castle staff access the tree's summit. 

"Would love to see how they decorate the top areas of the tree," one person mused on Instagram. 

Luckily, there's a fairly straightforward answer to this burning question. 

Royal staff use a crane—yes, a crane—to allow them to comfortably decorate the higher parts of the tree once the ladder is no longer tall enough. A time-lapse of the process can be seen here, for anyone who's looking for some early Christmas inspiration. 

The Queen's plans for the festive season have been widely speculated in recent months, with many royal fans wondering how her ongoing health issues will affect the celebrations. The 95-year-old monarch has historically spent the holiday at Sandringham House, where she is typically joined by the rest of the Royal Family for two days of classic Christmas indulgence and a much-needed catch-up with loved ones. It's understood, however, that this year's festivities will be more lowkey than usual, due to the Queen's 'fragile condition' since her overnight hospitalization in mid-October.