An unforgettable royal Christmas! Even though they couldn’t spend the day with it Queen elizabeth ii, Prince william and Duchess Kate had a memorable vacation with their children.

An insider tells exclusively Us weekly that Prince George, 8, Princess Charlotte, 6, and Prince Louis, 3, woke up at 5 a.m. to check what Santa had left for them under the tree.

“While Kate and William steer clear of spoiling the kids too much, they drop the rule on Christmas,” the source said.

The boys enjoyed their gifts to use outside, including a camping kit for George – complete with a tent, walkie-talkies and a flashlight – and a climbing frame for Louis, the insider adds. Charlotte, meanwhile, received a children’s video camera that she adores. The three siblings also enthusiastically unpacked several games and books on Christmas morning.

The Duke of Cambridge, 39, has made sure his wife, also 39, does not feel left out. “After a busy year, William wanted to make this Christmas even more special for Kate and surprised her with a beautiful bracelet,” the source explains.

Since the Queen, 95, decided to stay at Windsor Castle for the holidays amid the most recent surge in COVID-19 cases, the family have not attended their usual family affair in Sandringham. Instead, they had their own quiet celebration at their country home, Anmer Hall, in Norfolk, England, and the Duchess of Cambridge offered a homemade feast.

“Kate made a traditional Christmas treat for lunch – turkey, stuffing, pigs in blankets, ham, roasted potatoes and all the trimmings,” the insider said. We. The mother of three even “used her creative talents to decorate the table with candles, evergreen branches and cones as centerpieces.”

The younger royals helped their moms with dessert. “The kids helped Kate bake a chocolate yule log and apple pie for dessert, but the highlight was making a gingerbread house, covered in their favorite candies,” the source said. .

The traditional English Christmas “crackers” were present, the whole family triggering the poppers in search of confetti, paper wreaths and other novelties. The kids loved reading the jokes found next to the confetti, the insider notes.

The Cambridges also had the chance to video chat with the Queen, prince charles and a few other royal parents, who delighted the children.

After Christmas, the family celebrated Boxing Day on Sunday, December 26. It was a big game day for William and George, who as football fans were disappointed that their favorite team, Aston Villa, lost to Chelsea. “But they didn’t let him spoil the festivities!” Said the source.

With reporting by Natalie Posner.

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