Royal Family Christmas: Prince William and Kate's festive plans with their children

Christmas is a time of love, hope, unity, reflection and anticipation. This sentiment resonates with everyone across the country, but this festive season will likely be particularly meaningful for the Prince and Princess of Wales as they strive to create lasting memories for their children - Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, nine, and Prince Louis, six.

"I think this Christmas and New Year will take on a special significance for all of the royal family, but especially for the King and the Princess of Wales," former BBC Royal correspondent Jennie Bond exclusively tells OK!

"They have come through what William has described as 'the hardest year of my life' and it has undoubtedly been an even more brutal year for his father and his wife."

When it comes to their children, "it might be their way of saying thank you for bearing up so well during a tough time," says Jennie, heart-warmingly. "Just like so many families with young children, the excitement about Christmas starts early. I've no doubt they will have their heads full of thoughts about Father Christmas loading all sorts of gifts onto his sleigh. Although the Royal Family is not renowned for exchanging extravagant presents, this year surely will be one when they all want to treat one another after so many very difficult months."

A Royal expert has speculated on the Christmas presents for the young royals, stating, "I'd imagine there will be some more flying lessons on the cards for George, maybe something to do with Taylor Swift for Charlotte and anything adventurous for little Louis he's probably at an age when he will be wanting things like a skateboard", as reported by OK!, reports the Mirror.

The previous festive season was challenging for the Wales family, particularly for Kate, who underwent abdominal surgery on January 16. "The cancer diagnosis came as a huge shock to the family, and cast a pall over everything this year," the expert added.

"But now it seems things are looking up and I think there'll be a feeling of real relief as they gather at Sandringham for the festivities."

The relationship between King Charles and Princess Kate has deepened following their health scares. "There must now be a deep bond between the King and the Princess of Wales after the sad coincidence that they were hospitalised in the same week for what appeared to be benign operations, only for them both to discover that they had cancer," the Royal commentator observed.

"I'm sure there will be moments over Christmas when they will raise a glass to one another."

With the festive season in full swing, there's a tangible sense of anticipation as the Prince and Princess of Wales retreat from public view for some much-needed family time. This Christmas, the emphasis is on spending quality time with their children at Anmer Hall, a place that holds a special significance for them.

"I think it is in their own family home that the Waleses let the kids run riot," Jennie chuckled. "So I think they'll probably be tearing open their stockings and racing around their home at some ungodly hour on Christmas morning just like kids up and down the country."

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are renowned for prioritising family, often seen making the most of the festive season.

In 2020, they treated their children to 'Pantoland' at the London Palladium and a magical trip to Lapland UK in Windsor. In 2021, William gave fans a peek into their Christmas traditions, revealing, "We play board games with the children a lot. We love Monopoly and Risk it goes on for hours and usually everyone gets very cross because they lose! ".

Royal commentator Duncan Larcombe has disclosed that William and Kate strive to keep their holiday plans relatable. "There's something incredibly down to earth about the way William and Kate are bringing their children up, taking them to the panto and to Christmas carols, like any other kids," he said.

It appears the royals are set to have a family-centric Christmas similar to households nationwide. "It's clear that over the past year, William, Catherine and the children have formed the tightest cocoon around themselves to get through a seriously tough time," Royal insider Jennie remarked.

"I think they will value 'time out' over Christmas when they can just be as normal a family as is possible in their position. And, of course, it may well be that Catherine's parents and maybe other members of her family will join them."

After a challenging year, Duncan suggests that the Cambridges are looking forward to a fresh start. "It's been a lousy year for them. Health has dominated the news agenda and hundreds of royal engagements have been cancelled," he noted.

"Christmas will be an opportunity for the royals to rally together, shut out the rest of the world and focus on what's important."

Echoing Queen Elizabeth II's infamous Annus Horribilis speech from 1992, it's clear that William and Kate are more than ready to bid farewell to their own "horrible year" of 2024 and embrace the holiday cheer.

The Princess of Wales is set to kick off the Royal holiday season with her 'Together At Christmas' carol concert at Westminster Abbey on Friday, December 6, which will be broadcasted on ITV1 come Christmas Eve. This year's theme carries a poignant message, emphasising "the importance of love and empathy, and how much we need each other, especially in the most difficult times in our lives".