Sandringham no More: Queen Elizabeth II's Last Minute Decision for the Holidays Revealed [DETAILS]
Queen Elizabeth II was reportedly looking forward to spending Christmas time with the rest of the royal family at Sandringham castle this December. She's due to leave this week, but her plans are said to be halted because of a devastating reason and for her safety as well; what happened?
According to Express UK, the Queen will celebrate her holidays at Windsor Castle again instead of traveling to her favorite Norfolk estate.
Her Majesty was set to leave this Wednesday, but the monarch opted to cancel her initial plans because of the ongoing threat of the latest Omicron COVID-19 variant.
The Queen reportedly made the decision for the safety of the people around her.
Royal family members are now expected to celebrate Christmas at Windsor Castle, but rest assured that all "sensible precautions and all appropriate guidelines will be followed."
Spending the holidays at Sandringham has been a long tradition for decades, but this is the second year the Queen won't return to the Norfolk estate because of the lockdown in 2020.
This is also the first Christmas the longest-reigning monarch will celebrate without her husband, Prince Philip, who passed away earlier this year.
Royal family members are expected to attend the festivities in Winsor Castle in support of the Queen for her not to spend it all alone.
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The Royal Family in Sandringham
According to People Magazine, members of the firm usually join Her Majesty at Sandringham Castle to spend the holidays.
Guests arrive in the early afternoon of December 24 in preparation for their traditional Christmas Eve, where they open the presents instead of December 25.
The following day, everyone gathers at St. Mary's Magdalene Church in Norfolk for a service. After attending church, they head back to the estate to have lunch and do more activities.
The Queen reportedly leaves Buckingham Palace around October to prepare for the celebration. Sandringham is close to her heart as her father, King George VI, passed away in the Norfolk estate in 1952.
Per reports, Her Majesty stays in the castle until February and keeps the holiday decorations up in honor of her late father.
Aside from the canceled plans mentioned above, the Queen also canceled the family's traditional pre-Christmas gathering because of the COVID-19 scare.
