If Jane Austen could have made it to Brighton, she absolutely would have had Opinions. The Prince Regent adored her, she tolerated him at best, and now – two hundred and fifty years after her birth – the pair are being thrown back together under one wildly over-the-top onion dome for A Very Austen Christmas at the Royal Pavilion.
From 22nd November to 4th January 2026, the Pavilion is going full Regency fantasy: dancing shadows sweeping across the walls, themed trees in every room, sly gossip tucked into diary extracts, romantic dilemmas to untangle, and familiar faces popping up as you wander (yes, Mr Darcy will be there; no, almost definitely not the Colin Firth incarnation).
The whole thing plays out like a festive choose-your-own-Austen adventure. You start with a token that helps steer Jane’s fate – marry for love, marry for money, or sack the whole thing off – and then follow the trail of hints, characters and Christmas sparkle through Britain’s arguably most OTT royal pleasure palace.
Along the way you’ll bump into the Bennet sisters, Emma Woodhouse, Marianne Dashwood, Mr Knightley, and even Lady Bertram’s pug, who would have an absolute (Regency) ball Brighton’s puppy yoga sessions. Add in the Pavilion’s famously extra décor, twinkly lights, storytelling sessions for kids and the new Regency Play Parlour, and it’s basically a festive dream come true.
Austen superfans get an extra treat on her actual 250th birthday, 16th December, when Pavilion curator Alexandra Loske is hosting a special talk about the writer’s life – and her not-so-secret connection to Brighton. While there’s no definitive proof she visited, her brother Henry Austen spent time here with the Royal Oxfordshire Militia, and the town’s lively, slightly scandalous energy pops up in both Pride and Prejudice and her unfinished novel Sanditon. Plus she dedicated the first edition of Emma to the Prince Regent. It’s not hard to imagine her taking notes on the characters swanning around the seafront.
And if you want to go deeper into Austenland, the Pavilion has a whole calendar of themed events: cream teas with Regency gossip, talks, costumed tours and festive evenings steeped in period elegance. Think lace gloves, candlelight and the occasional knowing wink. And for the hard-core Regency aficionados, it’s a glorious run-up to next February’s Grand Ball.
The Pavilion basically transforms into Brighton’s most glamorous Christmas HQ every December, so outside the Regency bubble you’ll also find a Christmas Carol Concert in the Music Room, full-on Christmas banquets for the glitter-and-gravy crowd, and Father Christmas making himself at home in the Adelaide Suite.
22nd November – 4th January; included with Pavilion entry, members free
brightonmuseums.org.uk
