The British royal family are a staple part of Christmas celebrations, from the King’s speech to the Sandringham church service.
This year, Prince William and Princess Kate are expected to join King Charles and Queen Camilla at the royal estate in Norfolk with their kids, Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, seven.
Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie are also expected with their children, Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor and James, Earl of Wessex, along with Princess Anne, Zara and Mike Tindall.
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie have also been invited, though their scandal-hit parents, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson, will not attend.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who live in California, will remain in the United States with their two children, Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, four.
But what will the royal family do over Christmas, and will they stick to their usual traditions?
Scroll on for everything you need to know.
What are the royal family’s Christmas traditions?
The strict holiday schedule kicks off on Christmas Eve, when the royal family arrive at Sandringham for their main dinner.
It is a black tie event, and, according to reports, gifts are usually exchanged after the meal in honour of their German heritage.
In Germany, presents are generally opened on Christmas Eve instead of Christmas Day after a festive meal.
In his memoir Spare, Prince Harry revealed that the meal takes place at a “long table covered with white cloth and white name cards”.
“By custom, at the start of the night, each of us located our place, stood before our mound of presents,” he explained.
“Then suddenly, everyone began opening at the same time. A free-for-all, with scores of family members talking at once and pulling at bows and tearing at wrapping paper.”
On Christmas Day, Charles and his family attend a private church service away from the cameras, before the traditional Sandringham mass.
The royals then head to St Mary Magdalene Church for the public church service, which has become a Christmas Day tradition for the royals over the years.
William and Kate are expected to join Charles and Camilla at the mass with their three children.
Afterwards, the family then head back to the estate to enjoy a traditional Christmas lunch together, where they are believed to indulge in a game of charades.
Arguably, the most famous royal tradition is the Christmas broadcast, which is televised to the Commonwealth every year on Christmas Day.
Queen Elizabeth started the tradition in 1952, and King Charles has continued it, with the royal family sitting down to watch the broadcast together on Christmas Day, much like the rest of the nation.
This year, the King’s Speech will air in Australia at 3.27pm AEST on the ABC, before the repeat broadcast at 7.30pm AEST on the same channel.
King Charles’ “unspoken” rule
Charles is said to enforce a strict rule for his family on Christmas celebrations to ensure that the tight schedule always runs smoothly.
“There’s an unspoken rule for guests: do not arrive late. There is no grace period,” royal author Robert Jobson told HELLO!.
On Christmas Eve, the family head off for afternoon walks and can enjoy some downtime, but must always arrive back on time for dinner.
“After completing the odd custom, dating back to Edward VII, of being weighed on antique jockey’s scales, guests are on the clock,” he explained.
“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 trees
The royal family have multiple Christmas trees every year, with multiple being brought into Marble Hall in Buckingham Palace.
It was a tradition first popularised by Queen Victoria and has continued over the years.
The monarch also gifts Christmas trees to Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, St. Giles’ Cathedral, and the Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh.
Queen Elizabeth also gave churches and schools in the Sandringham area a Christmas tree, a tradition which King Charles has continued.
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