The Royal Family's Christmas traditions: Inside 'The Firm's' Christmas festivities

By Henry Moore

Like all families who celebrate the occasion the Royals have their own Christmas traditions and quirks.

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From black-tie dinners to traditional Christmas games, here is how the Royal Family spends the festive season.

We also look at the familiar faces that may be missing from this year’s festivities be it from family feuds or from bizarre connections to alleged Chinese spies.

Read more: Prince Andrew won't join Royal Family at Sandringham Christmas amid Chinese ‘spy’ scandal

Christmas Eve

For the King Charles and his sprawling family, celebrations begin on Christmas Eve.

Most of the family, not including Prince Andrew this year due to his latest scandal, will arrive at Sandringham before 4pm on Christmas Eve.

As the different members of the Firm arrive, the King, Queen and their relatives will enjoy a traditional afternoon tea.

In a nod to their German heritage, the Royals will then open some, but not all, of their Christmas presents.

After that, it’s time for dinner.

It will be a black-tie affair, according to Prince Harry’s bombshell memoir Spare, where the royals gather at what he described as a "long table covered with white cloth and white name cards."

At the dinner, the Royal staff will serve the late Queen’s favourite cocktail - Zaza.

Christmas Morning

On Christmas morning, the Royals enjoy a traditional English-cooked breakfast and with as many as 45 relatives in attendance, it’s sure to be a feast.

Some family members sometimes prefer to eat their breakfast alone or with their children, including the Prince and Princess of Wales.

According to reports, Will and Kate will spend the early morning with their three children, George, Charlotte and Louis.

After breakfast, the children will be given the rest of their Christmas presents.

Now it’s time for the Royals to head to church and do their traditional Christmas day walkabout.

Every year you will see pictures of the Royal Family making the short walk to St Mary Magdalene church in Sandringham.

The King and the rest of the Firm arrive at the famous chapel at 11am - as hundreds of Royals fans gather outside to get a glimpse of them.

Christmas Day

After the church service, it’s time for lunch.

And the Royal Family’s Christmas dinner is just as extravagant as you may expect.

From turkey to roast potatoes, pigs in blankets and Christmas Pudding, the meal will feature all the traditional dishes we’ve come to expect over the years.

In his book, Prince Harry explained that the children usually eat separately from the adults - a quirk some may find strange in this day and age.

"It was the same meal every year. They're actually boring when it comes to festivities! They didn't do hams or anything, just traditional turkeys,” former chef Darren McGrady told Hello! Magazine.

"We did three turkeys for the Queen and her family in the royal dining room, one for the children's nursery and then more for the 100 or so staff, so everyone had a Christmas lunch.”

Once everyone is full, the Royals, like so many families across the UK, will sit down to watch the King’s 3pm speech.

As evening approaches, the Royals usually sit down together to play games and enjoy each other's company, with the late Queen being partial to a round of charades, according to reports.

Will any Royals be missing this year?

While around 60 Royals once attended Christmas celebrations at Sandringham, that number has fallen in recent years.

King Charles’ estranged son Harry, his wife Meghan and their two children Archie and Lilibet, will be spending Christmas in the United States.

The Duke of Sussex reportedly hasn’t even received an invite to join the rest of his family.

The King’s brother Andrew will also be missing this year. It comes as he once again found himself in hot water after being linked to an alleged Chinese spy.

Last Christmas, Andrew walked from Sandringham to church with the other royals - symbolic of his gradual rehabilitation within the monarchy.

But this year, Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, will reportedly miss the celebrations after being linked to a Chinese ‘spy’ who was his ‘close confidant’, staying at his home Royal Lodge instead.

According to MailOnline, King Charles’ brother has voluntarily decided not to attend the celebrations so as not to embarrass the King any further.

Both Andrew and Fergie’s daughters Beatrice and Eugenie had already excused themselves, opting instead to spend Christmas with their respective in-laws.