Christmas may have looked a little different for many this year, and that includes the royal family too.

Traditionally the royal family spend Christmas with the Queen at Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, which includes a service at Saint Mary Magdalene church.

However, this year the Queen, the Cambridges, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, as well as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, were separated, and forced to buck tradition, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

To make up for the shake up the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge made sure they had an ‘extra special’ Christmas with their children Prince George, eight, Prince Louis, three, and six-year-old Princess Charlotte.

According to US Weekly, the family of five kicked off their festivities at the crack of dawn, with the children waking up at 5am to be sure Father Christmas had visited them at Anmer Hall, Norfolk.

Although the family vowed not to spoil one another, they let that rule ‘slide’ this year.

The source told the publication: ‘While Kate and William avoid overly spoiling the children, they let the rule slide at Christmas.’

Princess Charlotte is believed to have received a video camera for Christmas

It has been reported the eldest child received a camping kit complete with a tent, walkie talkie and a flashlight, while Louis’ gifts followed a similar vein as he was treated to a climbing frame.

Princess Charlotte received a children’s video camera, so we predict she will be following in her mother’s footsteps who is a dab hand in photography.

The children also received various games and books, the source told the publication.

But it was Prince William’s gift to Kate, both 39, that was a real show stopper.

William is said to have bought Catherine a ‘beautiful bracelet’ to ‘make this Christmas extra special’. We think he nailed that one.

The day for the Cambridge’s continued with Kate cooking a traditional roast for lunch, as well as a festive gingerbread house, chocolate Yule log, and apple pie, decorated the table and perfected her centrepiece.

The source said: ‘Kate cooked a traditional Christmas feast for lunch – turkey, stuffing, pigs in blankets, ham, roast potatoes and all the trimmings.

‘[Kate] used her creative skills to decorate the table with candles, evergreen branches and cones as centrepieces.’

Amongst all the cooking, and gift giving, they made time to video call the Queen, William’s father Prince Charles, as well as ‘a few other royal relatives’, while Kate’s family spent Christmas with them.

The post Inside the Cambridge’s 2021 Christmas: From the gifts to decorations and festive feast appeared first on Marie Claire.