Queen moves Christmas

Aug 21, 2006, 14:54 GMT

Britain's Queen Elizabeth has moved the location of the royal family's Christmas for the first time in 79 years.

The family have traditionally celebrated Christmas at the Sandringham estate but this year it will be held at Windsor Castle.

The reason for the break from tradition is rumoured to be pressure from Princes Charles, William and Harry.

They are said to find the Sandringham estate in Norfolk too small, and want to be able to bring their respective partners and entourages with them.

A source told Britain's Mail on Sunday newspaper: 'The past few years at Sandringham have been pretty tense. The young ones love their grandmother dearly, but half way through the day they're itching to get away and see girlfriends or friends. It can be very cut off for them up there on the estate.'

It was reported last year that Harry was upset that girlfriend Chelsy Davy wasn't invited to spend Christmas with the family, while his brother William and his girlfriend Kate Middleton were given a cottage on the estate.

Prince Charles brought his new wife Camilla to the Christmas celebrations for the first time last year, but they left for Scotland immediately after the main festivities were over.

The Duchess of York used to stay in the Gate House Cottage to be near to her daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, but as she is never invited to the main house she has decided to stay at her step-mother's home in recent years.

A royal insider said: 'The only ones who've genuinely enjoyed Christmas recently are Edward and Sophie. The Queen and Philip adore little Louise and Edward's flavour of the month.'

The queen spent her first ever Christmas at Sandringham and the estate has been the base for royal Christmases since 1901.

A spokesman for the queen said: 'The queen's decision over where she spends Christmas is not something we comment on.'

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