Royals cannot wait to exchange gifts as they prepare for festivities

This year the Duchess of Sussex is enjoying her first Christmas as a member of the royal family.

However, the American former actress is in the rare position of already having spent December 25 with the Windsors.

She became the first nonmarried partner invited to Christmas lunch at Sandringham with the Queen last year.

Now an HRH and a duchess, the ex-Suits star is seven months into her royal life, and due to give birth to a royal baby in the spring.

The traditions followed by the royal family at Christmas are a little different from many households in the UK.

The royal family still keep to the German practice of opening their gifts on Christmas Eve.

Known as Heiligabend Bescherung (which translates as Christmas Eve exchanging presents), the tradition was popularised by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.

The Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and other royals usually congregate in the White Drawing Room at Sandringham House the day before Christmas to put the finishing touches to a tree cut from the estate.

Presents are placed on a white linen-covered trestle table

The Queen likes practical presents, but not overly extravagant ones, and the royals also reportedly like to exchange joke or non-costly quirky gifts.

Kate revealed that she was left stumped over what to buy the monarch for Christmas during her first stay at Sandringham.

“I thought back to what would I give my own grandparents. And I thought ‘I’ll make her something.’ Which could have gone horribly wrong,” the duchess said.

“But I decided to make my granny’s recipe of chutney. I was slightly worried about it, but I noticed the next day that it was on the table.”

Diana, Princess of Wales, once fell foul of the royal rules on present-giving, apparently buying cashmere sweaters as her first festive royal presents, and getting joke gifts such as a loo-roll holder in return.

At 5pm, guests enjoy tea, scones, sandwiches and cakes from sideboards in the saloon.

Afterwards, they dress for dinner, with the men in black tie and the women in evening gowns.

Sarah, Duchess of York, once described the royal Christmas as “exhausting”, having changed outfits seven times in 24 hours.