Prince William and Kate's 'up in the air' Christmas plans with royals and Middletons

King Charles' royal family Christmas is set to be 'up in the air' this year, according to a royal expert, with Kate Middleton and Prince William predicted to spend the festive period between Sandringham and the Middleton's home. 

• With 2022 marking King Charles' first Christmas as monarch, a royal expert has predicted that the royal festive traditions paved by Queen Elizabeth II could be strayed from a little this year.
•  Royal journalist Jennie Bond suggests that the royal Christmas period will be a 'bit up in the air' with the likes of Prince William and Kate Middleton potentially preparing to spend less time at Sandringham. 
• In other royal news, King Charles and Queen Camilla's Christmas card photo has been revealed with a romantic detail.

Royal journalist Jennie Bond has pointed out that Prince William and Kate Middleton could feel less obliged to spend the entirety of the Christmas period at the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, where the Queen traditionally held the royal family's big festive celebrations throughout her reign. 

With King Charles having taken over as monarch following Queen Elizabeth II's death in September of this year, Bond predicts that younger members of The Firm could have a looser take on the royal Christmas traditions.

Pointing out that the Prince and Princess of Wales could spend just a few hours with King Charles, Queen Consort Camilla and other key royals at Sandringham before taking Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis to spend time with the Middleton family in Berkshire, Jennie said, "The younger generation might want to do their own thing for at least part of the time. So they may just have Christmas lunch [at Sandringham]."

Speaking to OK!, she added, "I think the King’s Christmas plans might be up in the air a bit. 

"The younger royals will probably want to spend time with their own families, so I think the two or three day celebrations of the past may, indeed, be a thing of the past."

"While I imagine there will be a gathering at Sandringham, whether it will be quite as extended as it used to be with the Queen, and with quite as many people, I’m not sure.

"Without the linchpin of the Queen holding together an often fractured family, they may suddenly decide to do their own thing," Jennie continued. 

It's also likely that the Wales family will spend New Year's Eve with Carole and Michael Middleton, attending their annual New Year party. 

Michael and Carole, who are parents to Princess Catherine, Pippa Middleton and James Middleton, host the soirée at their Berkshire home, Bucklebury Manor, each year.