Why Prince Louis will eat Christmas dinner in a 'different room' away from Kate and William

Prince Louis will enjoy his Christmas dinner away from Kate Middleton and Prince William, sitting on a separate table as part of the royal family's traditional Christmas celebrations at Sandringham.

• Mike Tindall once revealed some details about what it's like to sit down with the royal family for Christmas lunch. 
• The rugby star, who shares three children with Zara Tindall, revealed that little royals don't eat in the same room as the grown-ups when it comes to tucking into turkey. 
• In other royal news, Prince William and Harry's lesser-known siblings have been invited to Christmas at Sandringham as King Charles prepares to be without youngest son.

The royal family will be spending a traditional Christmas at the Sandringham Estate this year, with key members joining King Charles III for his first festive period as monarch.

Christmas at the Norfolk royal residence is a big part of the royal family calendar, with this year being the first since Queen Elizabeth II, who adored Christmas at Sandringham, passed away in September.

The royal family's Christmas celebrations famously consist of a Christmas Eve gift exchange, a Christmas Day church service and a big Christmas lunch. 

Mike Tindall, who has daughters Mia and Lena plus son Lucas with Zara Tindall, previously chatted about his experiences of Christmas at Sandringham during his The Good, The Bad and The Rugby podcast, revealing some surprising information about where little ones fit into the big day. 

"This is the family lunch, there were seven tables so there must have been about 70 of us there," he said. 

Explaining that the youngest members of the family are kept away from the adults at their own dinner table, Mike added, "The kiddies have their own little one in a different room."

It's likely that Prince George, nine, and Princess Charlotte, seven, will join the older members of the family at the adult table this year, having stepped out for official royal outings more regularly this year and being praised on their impeccable behaviour. 

Most recently they joined their parents at Westminster Abbey for Kate Middleton's Together at Christmas carol service, looking adorable in co-ordinating outfits. 

However, some royal experts have predicted that the Wales family may stray from the tradition of a lengthy stay at Sandringham this Christmas, opting to spend more time with Princess Cathrine's family. 

Speaking to OK!, royal journalist Jennie Bond said, "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.