The Royal Family certainly does not celebrate Christmas like the rest of us, with their festive season infused with the quirky traditions that come with being royal, even if some of them may likely seem pretty old-fashioned to a lot of people.
One in particular has been described by a former staff member as being quite "Victorian" in nature, and it has to do with the pinnacle of the Christmas celebrations, the dinner itself. It's also something that Prince George, aged 10, Princess Charlotte, aged eight, and Prince Louis, aged five, will all have to follow until they are a bit older.
The rule was revealed to be in place during the late Queen Elizabeth's reign, by former royal chef, Darren McGrady, who worked for the royals for 15 years.
The strict rule was enforced even during special occasions like Christmas, he explained, and the royal children wouldn't be allowed to join the grown-ups until they were older and had "learned the art of polite conversation" the chef told Harpers Bazaar.
Speaking to Hello Magazine, McGrady explained: "The children always ate in the nursery until they were old enough to conduct themselves properly at the dining table". He added that "for the Queen there was never a case of putting a high chair at the table with a little baby squealing and throwing food. It was Victorian. The children's place was in the nursery and Nanny would take care of them. It's your modern-day Downton Abbey."
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Christmas Day itself is traditionally celebrated by the monarch and senior royals at the 20,000-acre Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, which has been privately owned by the Windsors since 1862.
However, while the entire extended family doesn't come to this Christmas dinner, they do reportedly get together en masse for a celebration just as the festive period kicks off properly. Last year, this event took place at Windsor Castle, but previously it has also been hosted at Buckingham Palace.
During a podcast appearance, Mike Tindall, - who is married to Zara Tindall, the daughter of Princess Anne and niece of King Charles - explained that the no children at the dinner table rule extends to this festive celebration too.
"The family lunch, there must be about 70 of us there – there are seven tables and then the kiddies have their own little one in a different room," he told JOE UK's House of Rugby podcast.
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