On the morning of December 25, the royal family walks in step with each other to St Mary Magdalene Church for a 45-minute Christmas service. One of the most cherished Christmas traditions of the royal family, the service is followed by a grand lunch consisting of turkey, potatoes, stuffing, and a traditional festive dessert.

For the British royal family, Christmas at Sandringham is a time-honoured tradition steeped in family history.

The tradition dates back centuries. As families around the world prepare to celebrate Christmas tomorrow, the British royals will be exchanging gifts tonight, on Christmas Eve. As Prince Harry explained in his memoir, Spare, it is “a German tradition that survived the anglicizing of the family surname from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to Windsor.”