As the royal family prepare to gather at Sandringham this week for their Christmas celebrations, HELLO! can reveal what goes on behind the scenes at their festive get-together.
The Prince and Princess of Wales are expected to join the King and Queen at the royal estate in Norfolk, along with their children Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, ten, and seven-year-old Prince Louis.
Prince Edward and Sophie are also expected, along with their children Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor and James, Earl of Wessex, as are Princess Anne and Zara and Mike Tindall, and their three children.
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie are also on the guest list, although we won't see their parents Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, who have become outcasts thanks to their association with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
As has been the case since they moved to California, Prince Harry and Meghan and their children, Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, four, will be absent again.
The King's strict timetable
The festivities begin on the morning of Christmas Eve, when family members arrive at Sandringham House, the monarch's private country retreat. But Christmas for the royals isn't the same relaxed affair that most of us enjoy. Rather, they are on a strict timetable, with multiple outfit changes over three days.
"There's an unspoken rule for guests: do not arrive late. There is no grace period," royal author Robert Jobson tells HELLO!. “After completing the odd custom, dating back to Edward VII, of being weighed on antique jockey's scales, guests are on the clock.
"They change for a formal lunch, served by royal staff in the dining room. Afterwards, most go on an afternoon walk – one of the few moments when the schedule loosens up. But even then, they are on a timer. By 5pm, everyone must be back for afternoon tea."
Christmas Day
On Christmas morning, royal fans start queuing at dawn so they can catch a glimpse of the family on their way to and from St Mary Magdalene Church.
"What many do not realise is that the King and his family will have been to church once already that morning for a private service, away from the cameras and onlookers," Robert reveals.
Christmas lunch is traditional, with all the trimmings, and the royal dining table is laid out with luxury crackers, made by the royal warrant holder Tom Smith.
"Everyone, even the King, wears paper hats from inside the crackers," Robert says.
A 'very special' Christmas
As Kate's first Christmas since she announced at the start of the year that she was in remission from cancer, and coming so soon after the King revealed his own cancer treatment is being scaled back, this year's celebrations are set to feel extra special.
"The year has ended on a very positive note for the King, and the good news regarding his health will undoubtedly lift his spirits and those of the people around him. It will have brought reassurance to both him and his family," says Robert.
"It will be good for him to have a chance to relax among his loved ones. It will be a very special time. I'm sure he will raise a glass this Christmas to those who care for him."
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