Pregnant Kate finds some comfort in shortbread

Finally, here's something all the Duchess Kate wannabes can afford.

Designer gowns, expensive shoes and diamond-encrusted earrings are not necessary to feel Kate-like these days. Instead of the dough you find in your wallet, all you need is a little cookie dough.

The Duchess of Cambridge, now entering her second trimester of pregnancy, has apparently developed one of those well-know side effects of being with child -- cravings. In her case, according to the Sun in London, it's lavender shortbread.

“A lot of women develop cravings during pregnancy and Kate is no exception," a source told the paper. "She has got a real taste for these biscuits.

“Lavender is said to have healing properties, so it is not such a wacky food to nibble on when you’re pregnant.”

Even better, the sugary cookies are in plentiful supply around the royal household, since they are available from Prince Charles's Duchy Originals, a company he set up in 1990 to promote organic recipes and farming.

Of course, you can always make them yourself.

It helps that lavender is one of the cures for morning sickness. Even the smell of it can reportedly settle a stomach. Kate has had more than enough of that queasy feeling, having been hospitalized for several days with acute morning sickness.

On the craving scale, Kate is very much a commoner. Sweets are one of the most common cravings during pregnancy, as are items like pickles, cheese, bacon and peanut butter. One report also said Kate has developed a particular fondness for scones with jam and clotted cream.

The royal couple didn't get much of a chance to feast on biscuits at the Queen's Sandringham estate. They missed Christmas with the Royal Family, opting to spend the day at the Middleton family home in Bucklebury, though they show up for Boxing Day in time for the annual pheaant shoot. Prince William joined in the hunt, while Kate spent time out of the rain with the Queen.

They were expected to spend New Year's at Prince Charles's Scottish retreat, Birkhall.

 

 

Royals: The best and not-so-best of 2012 (Part III)

The year 2012 was a special for a lot of reasons royal-wise. For one, the Queen, 86 years young, proved to be as vibrant, and as relevant, to a nation that is looking for role models. Her Diamond Jubilee year just added more sparkle to an already impressive reign.

For another, the year marked the emergence of the new generation, but this glance was perhaps as fleeting as youth itself. Prince William and Kate are no longer just a couple of newlyweds. They took on more royal duties and now are starting a family. This next year is a definite new phase in their lives, both family and work-wise.

With that in mind, here's the final part in our series of images that helped tell the royal story in 2012:

'CAN YOU KEEP A SECRET?'

Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge got down to the level of her audience at Rose Hill Primary School in Oxford on Feb. 21. The visit carried special significance for the newshounds, who picked up on a conversation Kate had with some of the children, letting it slip out that the name of her new dog was Lupo. The black cocker spaniel was bred from a family pet owned by Kate's parents, Carole and Michael Middleton. (AFP/Getty Images)

JUST HORSIN' AROUND

Queen Elizabeth was all smiles and giggles as she attended the Epsom Derby on June 2. It was the start of a four-day celebration of her Diamond Jubilee to mark 60 years on the throne. It was a fitting start to the Jubilee weekend, considering the Queen's long association with thoroughbred racing. Horses from her stables have been in the the winner's circle of some of Britian's most prestigious races. The one crown that has eluded her in 60 years is the Epsom Derby, though she came close in 2011 when Carlton House finished third. (Reuters)

SKIRTING THE ISSUE

Prince William looked a little out of place with a grass skirt and blazer, and also proved to be a little out of rhythm with the rest of the Tuvalu natives, and Kate, as he made a brave attempt at island dancing at the welcoming ceremony for the royals on Sept. 18. With the topless-Kate scandal behind them, at least temporarily, the couple seemed to get their second wind on the nine-day tour of Asia and the South Pacific with plenty of fun photo-ops like this one. (Getty Images)

TEAM ROYAL

Even from the rear, there was no mistaking this threesome during the London Summer Olympics. As ambassadors of Team GB, Will, Kate and Harry were the most visible spectators for much of the Games. Here, they were just getting started as they took part in welcoming the Olympic flame to Buckingham Palace on July 26. (Reuters)

SKYDIVE SURPRISE

Before the Olympics even began officially, it was proving to be full of surprises. The biggest was the Queen playing a lead role in the James Bond spoof video during the opening ceremony. When it came time for the Queen to jump from a plane, though, it was stunt-double Gary Connery (no relation to Sean) who took the leap. Wearing a copy of the Queen's dress and a wig, Connery steered the parachute to a spot just outside the Olympic Stadium and a few minutes later the real Queen entered the stadium. Connery's only regret was that he couldn't keep the dress. As for why he was chosen to impersonate the monarch, the only answer he could come up with was "I've got Queen-style legs." (Reuters)

IT'S CALLED AN IRON

Here's a sight you won't see much ... Prince Charles doing a little ironing. He and his daughter-in-law Kate were pressing a couple of artworks they made during a visit to the Prince's Foundation for Children and the Arts at the Dulwich Gallery in South London on March 15. (AFP/Getty Images)

GETTING AN EARFUL

Prince Charles has a knack for looking slightly out of place when presented with a prop. Here, he kept one ear free while he learned how to scratch and fade with a turntable during a tour of an employment skills workshop in Toronto on May 22. He and Camilla made a four-day whirlwind tour of Canada -- with stops in New Brunswick, Regina and Toronto -- to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. (CP Photo)

'THEY DON'T LOOK VERY HAPPY TO SEE US'

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall appeared slightly intimidated as she shared a stage with her husband and a couple of chiefs from First Nations University in Regina on May 23. The serious faces seemed to disappear as the day went on and the royal couple was treated to a drum circle and traditional dancers. (Reuters)

BOUND FOR THE THRONE

The biggest royal event in Sweden in 2012 was the birth of a new heir. Estelle Silvia Ewa Mary, aka Princess Estelle, Duchess of Ostergotland, was born Feb. 23 to Crown Princess Victoria and her husband Daniel. As Victoria's first-born child, she is second in line to the Swedish throne behind her mother. (AP Photo/Swedish Royal Court)

FORMAL FASHION

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge cleaned up very well for an appearance at Royal Albert Hall on May 11 to take in the British Olympic Association's concert, 'Our Greatest Team Rises.' Kate rose to the occasion with a Jenny Packham gown while Prince William shined the shoes and put on a tux. (Getty Images)

CENOTAPH SOLITUDE

We wind up this look back at royal photos of 2012 with two striking images of the woman of the Diamond Jubilee year, Queen Elizabeth. The first is the monarch in profile, eyes closed, as she stood by a cross bearing a poppy during the service of remembrance at the Cenotaph in Whitehall, London, on Nov. 11. About 10,000 veterans marched past the Cenotaph in the annual service to remember those who have lost their lives serving in the Armed Forces. The Queen herself served in uniform during the late stages of the Second World War with the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service. (AP Photo)

THE CROWNING SPOT

The final image is actually a painting, the official Diamond Jubilee portrait commissioned by the Palace. Done by Australian artist Ralph Heimans, it shows the monarch standing on the Cosmati pavement, where kings and queens have been crowned in Westminster Abbey for 700 years. The 2.5x3.5-metre portrait shows a reflective Queen, dressed in the robes she wore at her Coronation in June 1953. Among the many portraits done of the Queen, this one stands out.

MORE:

Best of the royals 2012, Part I

Best of the Royals, Part II

Royals: The best and not-so-best of 2012 (Part II)

The year 2012 will go down as a year of transition for the royals in Britain.

This will go down as the year the members of the younger generation made their presence felt, where you could sense them forging their regal identities. Harry made his first overseas tour, William and Kate strode confidently through both crisis and triumph, even Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie lent a hand in royal duties.

All the while, the Queen, after 60 years on the throne, stayed dutifully above the fray, basking in the Diamond Jubilee while most definitely sharing the stage with her grandchildren.

With all that in mind, we pick up where Part 1 left off from our look back images from the royal year that was ....

LOOSE BOLTS

Prince Harry made the most of his first royal tour, bringing a sense of informality and fun every place he went, from Belize to the Bahamas to Jamaica and Brazil. One of the most enduring images, above, was him striking the iconic Usain Bolt pose with the originator himself at the University of the West Indies on March 6 in Kingston, Jamaica. In Brazil, right, he charmed the kids while playing rugby at Flamengo Beach in Rio de Janeiro. (Getty Images)

LADY IN RED

The Thames River Pageant on June marked the apex of the Diamond Jubilee with a thousand boats cruising through London and all eyes on the Spirit of Chartwell barge carrying the Royal Family. Despite dreary weather, it was a triumph of spectacle. On board, the Queen was resplendent in white. The Duchess of Cornwall chose a creamier outfit, while Kate picked up on the boat's red colour scheme with an Alexander McQueen dress. Kate's choice was not without its critics, who suggested she was trying to "outshine" the Queen. (AFP/Getty Images)

OLYMPIC HEIGHTS

The 5-foot-4 Queen didn't quite measure up to some of the British Olympic athletes, but she still walked tall while in the Athletes Village on the first day of the London Olympics on July 28. (Getty Images)

FIELD OF DREAMS

 

She never quite made it to the Olympics as an athlete, but the Duchess of Cambridge was not entirely out of her depth when she joined Great Britian's field hockey teams on March 15. The former captain of Marlborough College's team acquitted herself quite well as she donned her form-fitting athletic wear for a workout with the national team. It was all part of her duties as an official ambassador for Team GB. (Getty Images)

ISLAND ROYALTY

Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge acknowledged the welcome of the Solomon Islanders as they left the airport aboard a truck decorated as a canoe in Honiara on Sept. 16. The royal couple made a nine-day tour of Asia and the South Pacific to mark Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee. The visit was bittersweet for the royal couple, who became embroiled in a legal battle during the tour to keep topless pictures of Kate from further publication. (AFP/Getty Images)

SHOW-OFF SHEEP

This sheep wasn't going to let Prince Charles think he was just one of the flock, leaping into the air as the royal toured the Leenavale Sheep Stud at Sorell, Australia, on Nov. 8. Charles and Camilla made a two-week tour of Australia, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand.

MUM'S THE WORD

Prince William and Kate looked none too pleased as they departed Kuala Lumpur airport in Maylasia on Day 4 of their Diamond Jubilee Tour, Sept. 14. The night before, they found out that a French magazine, Closer, was about to publish topless photos of the duchess taken while they were on holiday in France. Prince William, according to sources, was livid about the invasion of privacy and legal action was immediately launched. (Getty Images)

SISTER ACT

Being the sister of the Duchess of Cambridge has its privileges, including seats at Centre Court for Wimbledon. Pippa Middleton made an unflattering face at Kate during the Roger Federer-Andy Murray match on July 8, but it was a rare off moment for the mostly-smiling Pippa.  It was an up-and-down year for Pippa, who remained a paparazzi target in 2012. She split with her boyfriend and earned some bad reviews for her party-planning book, "Celebrate," but she remained a hot commodity in social circles. (Reuters)

A ROYAL FLUSH

There are plenty of strange customs around the world, one of them being a toilet-throwing contest in the Netherlands. It was part of the festivities marking Queen's Day, a Dutch national holiday celebrating the birthday of Queen Beatrix's mother, Juliana. Dutch Crown Prince Willem Alexander did his part in this pageant of all things orange in Rhenen on April 30. A month later, he said he felt "shame" at the contest since it was at odds with role as chairman of the United Nations Water and sanitation advisory board. (AP Photo)

BACKSIDE BROWSING

One can only guess what Prince Philip might have been thinking as he examined the rear of this mannequin at the Yorkshire Museum. The Duke of Edinburgh, accompanied by Janet Barnes, CEO of York Museums Trust, was touring an exhibition of medieval costumes designed by York College Students on April 5. (Getty Images)

JUBILEE TOAST

There was much to celebrate as Prince William and Kate embarked on their second major foreign royal tour in September, and this photo captures that spirit. The couple was in Singapore, kicking off their nine-day Southeast Asian and Pacific tour. With a clink of glasses (water for the duchess), they toasted the Queen's Diamond Jubilee on Sept. 11 at a gala reception at Eden Hall. A few days later, smiles turned to frowns as topless pictures of Kate emerged. (AFP/Getty Images)

BALCONY BUSS

Kisses on the balcony has now become standard behaviour for royals. Luxembourg's Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume didn't disappoint the crowds as he plants one on his wife Princess Stephanie, Hereditary Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, on the Grand Ducal Palace balcony. The scene came after the religious marriage ceremony on Oct. 20. The couple, who are distant cousins, had been dating for about two years. (Reuters)

SKY-GAZING PORTRAIT

We end Part II with another balcony scene as members of Britain's Royal Family watch a flypast from Buckingham Palace following the Trooping the Colour ceremony on June 16. The ceremony marked the 86-year-old monarch's official birthday (her actual birthdate is April 21).  From left: Prince Andrew, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles, Prince Edward, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Anne, Prince Philip, Tim Lawrence, Louise Windsor, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William, Princess Eugenie and Prince Harry. (Reuters)

MORE: Royal moments of 2012 (Part I)

 

Royals: The best and not-so-best of 2012 (Part I)

It was quite a year for the royals, from the Diamond Jubilee, to a couple of scandals, to a new heir on the way.

It seems an appropriate time, before the calendar flips another year, to look back. Hence ....

We present some of the images that told the story of a year in royals, moments that were important, or funny, or symbolic, or odd, or beautifully photographed, or all the above. We discovered quite a few, so we're dividing them into three parts over the next several days.

SOMETHING'S BREWING

What better way to start a retrospective than at the end ... with Prince William and Kate announcing they are expecting a baby. Here, they posed for a few seconds on Dec. 6 after Kate was released from hospital suffering from acute morning sickness. She was only about 10 weeks pregnant, so look for a late June, early July birth. A truly inspired storyline would see a birth on July 1, the birthdate of Prince William's late mom, Princess Diana. (AFP/Getty Images)

'WHAT WE'RE YOU THINKING?'

Six-year-old Alex Logan tags Prince Harry with a toy penguin as he greets him at the WellChild awards ceremony in London on Sept. 3. This was the first public outing for Harry since he was caught with his pants and everything else down at a Las Vegas party in his suite. The photos captured by one of the guests made their way around the web world. Before meeting Harry, Alex, who has leukemia, announced he would tell the prince "I'm glad you've got your clothes on." Harry found out about the scheme and beat him to the punch. "You keep looking up at your mom," he told the youngster with a smile. "It looks like you're dying to say something and you're worried she'll tell you off. I heard you were on ITV earlier and you said something cheeky -- but lets not talk about that here." (AP Photo)

MOM AND THE MEDAL

Princess Anne hugged her daughter Zara Phillips on the podium with her British teammates after Zara helped win the silver medal in the team equestrian of the Eventing competition at the 2012 London Olympics on July 31. This was a special moment for both women. Zara was making her Olympic debut after missing out on the Beijing Games because of an injury to her horse. Princess Anne had competed, but failed to medal, at the 1976 Games in Montreal. (AFP/Getty Images)

BACK ON HOME TURF

Never mind the high heels and what they could do to the artificial turf. This was every girl's dream ... returning in triumph to the school of her youth, as a duchess no less. Weaing tartan reminiscent of her school days, the Duchess of Cambridge tried out the new turf at her old school, St. Andrew's in Berkshire. She attended the school between 1986 and 1995. A few days after this little field hockey exhibition with students, Kate was in hospital with morning sickness. (AFP/Getty Images)

A GIFT WORTH POUTING ABOUT

A young girl looked a little dejected after giving up the flowers she was carrying to present to Prince Charles during a walkabout in Saint John, N.B, on May 21. Charles and Camilla were on a four-day visit to Canada to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. (CP Photo)

'SHOULDA CHANGED MY SOCKS'

In accordance with custom, Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, take off their shoes before visiting the As-Syakirin Mosque in Kuala Lumpur on Sept. 14, 2012. The royal couple were on their second stop of a nine-day tour of Southeast Asia and the South Pacific to commemorate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. (Reuters)

PAPER LION

A copy of The Sun newspaper in London featured a picture of a naked Prince Harry on Aug. 24. The tabloid was the first and only paper in the UK to print photographs of Prince Harry from his naked Las Vegas romp, igniting a huge debate on the boundaries of royal media coverage in the UK. The issue became even more of a lightning rod in the next month as photos of a topless Duchess of Cambridge were circulated in Europe. No publication in Britain dared to challenge the royal lawyers in that case. (Reuters)

'HARRY? IS THAT YOU?'

No, it wasn't her grandson. Queen Elizabeth seems intent to stare through the camoflage as she meets a sniper from the Household Cavalry during a visit to Combermere Barracks in Windsor on Nov. 26. (Reuters)

THE ROYAL TWO-STEP

Prince Charles and Lisa Shannon dance at the Dance-O-Mat during a visit to Feilding, New Zealand, on Nov. 16. The Dance-O-Mat was set up to give people the opportunity to keep dancing after many of the venues were destroyed by the earthquake of 2010. (Getty Images)

A GOLD MEDAL HUG

In a rare moment of public physical contact, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge hugged as the British men's pursuit team won cycling gold on Aug. 2 at the velodrome during the London Olympic Games. The pair were a regular attaction at Olympic events, acting as official Olympic ambassadors for Team GB. (Getty Images)

THE DELICATE DUCHESS

Outside the Assyakirin Mosque in Kuala Lumpur, Kate looks relfective as she adjusts her scarf. In line with religious law, all vistors to the mosque must remove their shoes and women must cover their heads before entering. That didn't prevent Kate from looking very stylish in her $900 Sabitri dress by Beulah London. (AFP Photo)

ALL HANDS ON DECK

Prince Harry, Kate and Prince William waved in formation as they acknowledged the thousands who turned up to see the Royal Family on a barge, just one vessel among the flotilla of a thousand boats on the Thames on June 3. The river pageant was the highlight of a long weekend of festivities marking the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. (AFP/Getty Images)

MORE: Best of the Royals (Part II)

Queen still brings out a big crowd for traditional Christmas Day outing

Queen Elizabeth receives flowers from children as she leaves the Christmas Day church service at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham on Tuesday. (AFP/Getty Images)

There was no William and Kate, but there was still plenty of star power left in the Royal Family on Tuesday, drawing about a thousand people for a glimpse as they attended Christmas Day services at St. Mary Magdalene Church.

According to reports some people arrived as early as 4 a.m. to make sure they were front-of-line to see the royals as they made their trek from Sandringham House to the 11 a.m. service.

The Queen, who is just getting over a cold, was accompanied to the church by her granddaughters Beatrice and Eugenie in a Bentley while others in the family, including 91-year-old Prince Philip, made the traditional walk with other members of the Royal Family. He missed last year's service after undergoing emergency heart surgery.

Prince William and Kate, meanwhile, will have to join up with the Royal Family later. They spent Christmas Day with the Middleton family in Berkshire, where they attended early-morning church services at St. Mark's in Englefield. Prince Harry is also missing from Sandringham this year, on duty with UK troops serving in Afghanistan.

Despite the effects of a cold, the Queen beamed as she left church and met a line of about 50 kids eager to present her with small gifts.

After church, the Royal Family headed back to Sandringham for their Christmas lunch, then a spot of TV-watching as the Queen delivered her annual Christmas message, this time in 3D. (SEE VIDEO BELOW.)

In her message, the Queen paid tribute to all who helped her celebrate her Diamond Jubilee year as well as those who were part of the London Olympics.

"As London hosted a splendid summer of sport, all those who saw the achievement and courage at the Olympic and Paralympic Games were further inspired by the skill, dedication, training and teamwork of our athletes," she said.

Talking about the Thames river pageant highlighting the Diamond Jubilee celebrations in June, she said: "On the barges and the bridges and the banks of the river there were people who had taken their places to cheer through the mist, undaunted by the rain. That day there was a tremendous sense of common determination to celebrate, triumphing over the elements."

Prince  William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge leave Englefield Church in Englefield in Berkshire. (Reuters)

Sophie, Countess of Wessex, left, Lady Louise Windsor, Prince Edward, Prince Philip, Prince Andrew and Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence attend the traditional Christmas Day service at St. Mary Magdalene Church near King's Lynn, England. (Getty Images)

Queen Elizabeth's granddaughter Zara Phillips, wearing a hat by Karen Henriksen, and her husband Mike Tindall arrive for the British royal family's traditional Christmas Day church service. (AP Photo)

Queen Elizabeth's granddaughters Princesses Eugenie, left, and Beatrice hold flowers the Queen received from children after attending the the Christmas Day church service. (AP Photo)

Queen Elizabeth receives flowers from children after attending the Christmas Day church service. (AP Photo)

Autumn Phillips, Peter Phillips and Princess Anne walk past the well-wishers to St. Mary Magdalene Church. (Getty Images)

Prince Philip waves as he leaves the family's traditional Christmas Day church service in Sandringham. (AP Photo)

Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall attend the traditional Christmas Day church service at St. Mary Magdalene Church. (Getty Images)

Princess Beatrice of York and Princess Eugenie of York watch as Queen Elizabeth accepts a posey of flowers after the Royal Family Christmas Day church service. (AFP/Getty Images)

Queen Elizabeth, wearing an Angela Kelly gown, records her Christmas message to the Commonwealth, in 3D for the first time, in the White Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace earlier this month. The Queen  paid tribute in her Christmas speech to Great Britain's Olympic and Paralympic athletes for inspiring the nation during a "splendid summer of sport." (Getty Images)

 

The show always goes on for Queen at Christmas

 
Sandringham House has been the traditonal home for a Royal Family Christmas since the days of her grandfather, George V.

After 60 years on the throne, there are still some things Queen Elizabeth never seems to tire of. Christmas at Sandringham is one of them.

It is family time, and that means upholding the best of its traditions. The Queen has had these embedded in her since youth, and she takes great pains to make Christmas a family-based affair. Of course, it helps to have a big house like Sandringham, which has been a private royal residence for four generations.

The Queen is slightly under the weather as the big day approaches -- she missed church service on Sunday while "getting over the tail end of a cold," said the palace -- but there is always 'the-show-must-go-on' kind of bravado around the whole affair.

Even Prince Philip's hospitalization for emergency heart surgery last year didn't seem to put much a dent in the long-held routines -- which is just the way Philip wanted it.

And the 86-year-old monarch even leaves a little room for twists to the traditions. Her annual Christmas message goes out in 3D for the first time this year (she previewed it with producers at right) and the word from the palace is that she proclaimed the result "absolutely lovely."

Advance extracts of her speech include special mention of the athletes of the London Olympics, who, she said, "gave the rest of us the opportunity to share something of the excitement and drama."

A few of the 'star' royals will be missing this Christmas at Sandringham -- Prince William and Kate will be at the Middleton family home and Prince Harry is in Afghanistan -- but there's plenty more relatives to fill the space.

For about four days, it’s all about family, and the kids, and routines that have been going on for years. Kind of like the Christmases many of us enjoy. The setting is somewhat grander, but the general ambition remains the same: keep Grandma happy. (Right: the Queen adjusts the hat of one of her daughters-in-law, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, on Christmas Day in 2002)

Here's a look at how Christmas at Sandringham is celebrated, gleaned liberally from outside sources and a blog post we presented last year:

It all begins the week before Christmas, when the Queen vacates Buckingham Palace for what will be a six-week stay at Sandringham House, an hour and a half or so by train north of London. For a while she hosted the holiday at Windsor Castle (it can accomodate far more people) but now she tries to keep it simple with immediate family only at the Norfolk estate.

That means a crowd of more than two dozen relatives, including children and spouses.

Despite its country-estate setting, there’s still plenty of royal duties for the Queen to attend to at Sandringham, which acts as the monarchy's base until February. The first week, however, is all about Christmas and family. This is strictly a private affair, though details emerge over the years, some of them in a book by Phil Dampier, "What’s In The Queen’s Handbag (And Other Royal Secrets)." From that and other sources, we can put together a reasonable diary of the goings-on.

Before they start arriving -- junior royals first -- a spruce Christmas tree will be selected and cut down from the huge estate, and servants begin decorating it in the White Drawing Room. (Three years ago, disaster struck when the 18-foot tree was toppled after a staff member fell into it.)

As you might imagine, there’s a huge store of old ornaments, dating back to Queen Victoria.

The Queen likes to decorate the tree (as much as an 86-year-old woman can), making sure to take care of the star from George V's days and laying on the tinsel. The younger royals finish off the decorating.

As the guests begin to arrive, they are given a room plan and a timetable by the Master of the Household. The accomodations are bare by royal standards, more country inn-sensible than palace-plush, with rooms kept warm by two-bar electic fire grills. Beds are covered with blankets, not duvets.

Gifts that have been brought are laid out in the Red Drawing Room, sectioned off by name and in order of precedence.

The drawing room at Sandringham, where the royals will gather for the first time.

CHRISTMAS EVE

It’s tea time (Earl Grey mostly) at 4 p.m. in the drawing room. Sandwiches, scones and muffins are in abundance.

At 6 p.m., it’s time for the gifts, following in the German tradition of unwrapping the bounty the night before Christmas.

All the gifts are laid out on a white linen-covered table with name tags and everyone dives in. Ceremony is dispensed with.

What do royals get each other for Christmas? Well, not as much as you’d think. Most gifts are either practical, or a practical joke.

A few examples:

- The Queen was reportedly delighted to receive a casserole dish, and even more delighted one year to be given one of those singing Big Mouth Billy Bass fish, which supposedly still sits on the grand piano at Balmoral.

- Harry and William went in together on a Blu-Ray player for Grandma Liz.

- Princess Anne gave her brother Charles a padded toilet seat. One year he gave her a doormat.

- Harry once gave the Queen a plastic shower hat emblazoned with: “Ain’t life a bitch!”

- Princess Diana gave Charles some Mickey Mouse socks.

- Prince Philip has a penchant for novelty items like unusual can openers. He has also received a whoopee cushion, apparently.

After the orgy of cheap gifts, it is off to the saloon (right) for drinks prepared by the servants. This will range from Coke to martinis. The Queen is partial to Dubonnet and gin.

Amply refreshed, everyone scatters to get ready for dinner.  This involves yet another change in outfits, since it is regarded as a formal affair: ladies in gowns, gents in black tie.

At 8 p.m., the gong sounds for the gathering of the clan. The Queen always arrives fashionably at 8:15.

“You never let the Queen beat you down for dinner, end of story,” said Sarah Ferguson, recalling her Christmas days as wife to Prince Andrew. “To come in any later would be unimaginably disrespectful.”

There’s Christmas crackers, of course, those festive-wrapped tubes that snap (!) open and to reveal a party hat, horoscopes, jokes and a insanely cheap little plastic toy. The Queen is excused from wearing the paper hat.

A typical dinner (by candlelight no less) might start with a shrimp appetizer, followed by the main course of lamb or game killed on the estate. Dessert might be a soufflé or tarte tatin.

Two hours later, dinner is done and on come the post-dinner beverages: coffee, port and brandy. 

By midnight, the Queen usually retires. No one leaves the gathering before she does.

CHRISTMAS DAY

Princess Eugenie and Queen Elizabeth II accept flowers from children outside Sandringham Church after the traditional Christmas Day service at Sandringham. (Getty Images)

Not sure who does all the filling, but eyes awaken to the sight of stockings at the foot of each family member’s bed, filled with small gifts and fruit.

Bacon, sausage, eggs, toast and tea -- take your pick from the traditional English menu for breakfast. Everyone just has to give themselves plenty of time to make the 11 a.m. Christmas service at the Church of St. Mary Magdalene (right). By tradition, most walk, though the Queen and those with young children are driven.

This is where the public generally gets its best view of the royals. Although photographing royals on the estate is generally not allowed, the rule is relaxed at Christmas (aside from a nasty incident a few years ago where cameras were mistakenly confiscated).

Finally, turkey time -- courtesy of birds raised on the estate -- arrives at 1:15 p.m. The Queen makes the seating plan.

Gobble, gobble and gone. Don’t want to miss the Queen’s annual Christmas TV broadcast at 3 p.m., a tradition that dates to 1932 and George V’s radio broadcasts. The Queen's first broadcast was in 1952, with the first televised one in 1957 (below).

 

Other than that must-see TV, this is the family’s lazy afternoon, with everyone free to play some games, watch TV, take a stroll, have a nap… just like ordinary turkey-filled folk. Sometime during the day, it's expected that Prince Harry will touch base with the relatives via Skype.

And guess what’s for dinner? Yep … leftovers (with a fresh lobster salad to start).

“The family are not keen on mince pies or Christmas pudding so I could be quite bold with, say, a pina colada mousse with a raspberry coulis,” said former royal chef Graham Newbould.

It’s game night after that, where the doors are closed on the digital world and old stand-bys like charades make a comeback.

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, greets well-wishers after leaving the 2011 Christmas Day service at St. Mary Magdalene Church on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk. (Reuters)

BOXING DAY

After a big breakfast, the annual pheasant shoot is arranged, with Prince Philip traditionally taking the lead. Last year, after being in hospital for four days following surgery for a blocked artery, the ever-game duke headed straight for the pheasant outing, though he didn't pick up a gun.

As for the Queen, every dog has their day and this is the one for monarch’s many corgis, who will undoubtedly be in her company most of the afternoon — along a beach if the weather permits.

The festivities winding down, it's back to regular royal duties on the 27th, most of the royals scattering to their United Kingdom corners, from London to Wales. 

The Queen, meanwhile, hunkers down with Philip at Sandringham for the long January month.

Someone has to clean up the mess the kids left behind, right?

Prince William and Kate to miss Christmas with Queen

Prince William, Kate and Prince Harry, seen here last Christmas Day, will all be missing from this year's celebrations with the Queen at Sandringham. (Reuters)

The Queen can forget about changing the sheets in at least one room at Sandringham -- Prince William and Kate won't be coming for Christmas Day.

Instead, the royal parents-to-be will be feasting with Kate's family in Bucklebury. The decision, said St. James's Palace, has been met "with the approval of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh."

So, no hard feelings.

The Palace also said Will and Kate will spend at least some time at the Queen's winter home over the holidays.

Christmas at the Middleton home, with parents Carole and Michael and siblings Pippa and James, will certainly be a less formal affair, and less stressful for Kate, who has been coping with acute morning sickness in her third month of pregnancy.

William and Kate are not expected to make any public appearances on Christmas Day, unlike the rest of the Royal Family, who greet locals as they make their trek to and from church services.

Sources have told the Telegraph the duchess has shown "marked improvement" recently, and she has shown it with a couple of outings to the BBC Sports Personality Awards and the Queen's annual Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace. She also joined Palace staff for a seasonal party last week.

Without Will and Kate, the Queen's Christmas guest list is still quite full with at least a few dozen immediate family. Another notable absentee, though, will be Prince Harry, who is serving with UK troops in Afghanistan.

All the Queen may be hoping for is no more surprises. Last year, her husband Prince Philip was stricken just before Christmas and had to spend four days in hospital after surgery for a blocked artery.

 

Duchess Kate's pregnancy adds twist to Queen's Christmas plans

Queen Elizabeth stands in the 1844 Room of Buckingham Palace after recording her annual Christmas Day broadcast last year. (Getty Images)

In case you hadn't guessed it already, family is pretty important to Queen Elizabeth, and there's no more important time of year to express that than Christmas. And if that means bending a few of her 'tradition' rules, so be it.

She'll have at least a couple dozen Royal Family members have confirmed their attendance at Sandringham, but the biggest question mark still swirls around Prince William and wife Kate, whose bouts of morning sickness have made her, in sports parlance, a game-day decision.

If not Sandringham, she will likely be with her own family at Bucklebury. However, the latest speculation, according to UsMagazine.com, is that the Queen has sweetened the pot by extending an invitation for Kate's parents, Carole and Michael, to join the royal clan at her estate, thereby ensuring Kate's attendance.

That would be a definite break in tradition which demands the holidays be reserved for immediate family only.

Last year was Kate's first Christmas Sandringham, where she got a first-hand look at the tradition-laden activities, which includes many changes of clothes for the various meals and the annual trek to church Christmas morning, greeting the locals along the way (photo, from 1988).

Speaking of tradition, the Queen's annual Christmas Day message (3 p.m., check your listings) gets a mini-makeover this year with a 3D broadcast -- just another technological leap for the monarch, who makes a brave attempt to keep up with the young 'uns.

The broadcasts are, by themselves, mini time capsules. Below, you get a sense of that, but also a sense of the consistent themes the Queen hits on at this time of year. The first is from 1957, her first televised broadcast. The second, from 1984, is interesting for its scenes of a newborn Harry and very young Prince William with Charles and Diana.

 

 

Christmas message 1984

 

Royals: It's been a good news/bad news kind of year

The Queen and her closest heirs -- Prince Charles and Prince William -- stand on the balcony at Buckingham Palace during the Diamond Jubilee celebrations on June 5. (AP Photo)

When the train pulled into King's Lynn station on Thursday, it was sure sign the end of the year is close.

Aboard was Queen Elizabeth, arriving with Prince Philip for the annual Christmas pilgrimage to their 8,100-hectare Sandringham estate, where they will celebrate the season with a few dozen or more Royal Family members.

It's a time to reflect, on both the good and bad.

Most would say it's been a pretty good year for the Royal Family, starting with the Diamond Jubilee and ending with a new heir on the way. But behind every silver lining ... is a cloud.

On one hand ... No more guessing games over when Prince William and Kate will start a family.

On the other hand ... The mental image of Kate throwing up with morning sickness puts a whole new spin on "The Kate Effect."

On one hand ... the Diamond Jubilee celebrations were a huge success, culminating with the thousand-boat flotilla down the Thames.

On the other hand ... Standing to wave at crowds in often drizzly weather, all Prince Philip got was a bladder infection and almost a week in hospital.

On one hand ... Prince Harry revealed himself to be a fine ambassador for Britain during his royal tour of the Caribbean.

On the other hand ... Prince Harry revealed too much of himself during his very non-royal tour of Las Vegas.

On one hand ... The Diamond Jubilee celebrations meant Canada would get a royal visit.

On the other hand ... It was Charles and Camilla.

On one hand ... The 86-year-old Queen vowed to "rededicate myself" after 60 years of service.

On the other hand ... Charles, 64, made no such vow to wait another 60 years for his turn.

On one hand ... Pippa Middleton has become a published author.

On the other hand ... She's apparently not a very good one.

On one hand ... Kate and her clothes again made headlines.

On the other hand ... Kate without her clothes made even more headlines.

On one hand ... British papers refused to publish photos of Topless Kate.

On the other hand ... More than half of Britons polled looked at them on the web anyway.

On one hand ... The Queen's granddaughter Zara Phillips won Olympic silver in team equestrian event.

On the other hand ... Even Zara admitted it would have been gold, but "I messed up."

On one hand ... The Brtitish government named a gigantic piece of the planet after Queen Elizabeth.

On the other hand ... It's in Antarctica, where penguins and seals can't even hum the words to "God Save the Queen."

On one hand ... Prince William inherited $16 million from his mother's estate when he turned 30 in June.

On the other hand ... It wasn't enough to stem the flow of hair from his head.

As we said ... all in all, a pretty good year.

A photo feast for Queen fans ... while Duchess Kate is feasting again

Queen plays chauffeur for her children Charles and Anne in the Daimler in 1957. (TASCHEN/Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS)

The Duchess of Cambridge is catching up, but she'll have stand in front of a camera lens for a long time to come close to the number of times Queen Elizabeth has been photographed.

Hard to believe, but there are still some photographs among the millions that are considered to be rare. These are among the images that have been collected in a new book on the Queen celebrating her Diamond Jubilee, Her Majesty, by Taschen publishers.

The book, listed at $170 but going for $136 at amazon.ca, is available pre-order for a January release in Canada.

The photos have been gleaned from a variety of sources and include some rather famous photographers, from Cecil Beaton -- responsible for some of the most iconic shots of the monarch -- to Annie Leibovitz.

The fun of the book is some of the rare shots of the Queen caught in informality, like when she's driving her kids Anne and Charles through Windsor. Through her childhood days, to family life, to greeting movie stars, it's the story of a Queen as we do not often see her.

Cecil Beaton photographing Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace prior to her trip to Nigeria in 1955. (TASCHEN/Victoria & Albert Museum)

King George VI and Queen Elizabeth enjoy the garden life at the Royal Lodge at Windsor with daughters Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret. (TASCHEN/Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS)

Marilyn Monroe, standing between Victor Mature and Anthony Quayle, waits her turn to meet the Queen at the London premiere of "The Battle of the River Plate" in October 1956. (TASCHEN/Harry Myers/Rex Features)

DUCHESS KATE HAS APPETITE BACK

For someone who couldn't even look at a piece of solid food without gagging a few weeks ago, the Duchess of Cambridge is being remarkably well-fed these days.

Kate, who was hardly finished digesting a Christmas feast with royal staffers on Tuesday, was at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday for the Queen's annual pre-Christmas lunch with family.

The meal marks the unofficial start to the monarch's winter season. As soon as the dishes are cleared, she is off to her Sandringham estate (right), two-and-a-half hours northeast of London, until February.

Kate, who joined Prince William and 27 Household staffers for a turkey dinner on Tuesday,  arrived by car at the Palace amid several shouts from an expectant gathering in front of the gates. Oddly enough, she was not accompanied by Prince William, who came in a separate car with his cousin Lord Linley.

The parade of cars loaded with royals made for a mini convoy. The lunch guest list was long, including among others, Prince Charles and Camilla; Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie; Prince Edward, Sophie and Lady Louise;  Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, Lady Sarah Chatto; the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra.

A couple of notable absentees were Prince Harry and Princess Anne. Both were in Afghanistan at Camp Bastion, home to the UK troops. Harry, of course, has been there for months, flying missions against the Taliban in Apache attack helicopters.

The Queen's daughter, meanwhile, dropped in with her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence to for a surprise visit with several different UK regiments, including the Military Working Dogs Squadron, one of several units of which she is Colonel-in-Chief. The dispatches don't mention whether she popped in on her nephew Harry, whose four-month tour of duty ends next month.

The Queen will be hoping for a less eventful Christmas season than last year. It was just before the big day that Prince Philip was sent to hospital for a little emergency heart surgery for a blocked artery. A week later, there was a murder victim found on the Sandringham estate. The case of who killed Alisa Dmitrijeva, 17, remains unsolved.