They may be royal, but the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are not immune to facing the same dilemma as many others this year – who to spend Christmas with.
Under the current government restrictions, a maximum of three households are allowed to mix from Wednesday 23 December to Sunday 27 December.
MORE: Who is looking after George, Charlotte and Louis while their parents are on tour?
During a visit to Cardiff on Tuesday as part of their three-day royal train tour of the UK, William empathised with students as he admitted that he and Kate are also struggling with what to do. "It is so difficult. We are still trying to make plans," the future King said. "It's difficult to know what to do for the best."
WATCH: William and Kate toast marshmallows in Cardiff as they meet university students
Lily Faulkner, a 21-year-old second-year politics and international studies student at Cardiff University, said afterwards: "They were trying like the rest of us to make Christmas plans with their family and still weren't 100 per cent sure of what they were going to do or where they were going to be."
MORE: Kate Middleton makes unexpected style change during royal tour
MORE: Kate Middleton's spelling mistake in heartfelt message to fans
For the first time in 30 years, the Queen and Prince Philip will celebrate Christmas "quietly" at Windsor Castle. A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said that the couple, who traditionally spend the festive period at the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, are "fortunate" to spend Christmas with their family every year but understand people will have "competing demands" in 2020.
© Photo: Getty ImagesWilliam and Kate toasted marshmallows during their trip to Cardiff
Charles and Camilla have also announced that they will be spending Christmas at Highgrove House in Gloucestershire this year, instead of travelling to Windsor to be with the Queen and the Duke. However, they are expected to meet up with the monarch some time over the festive period, either outdoors or socially distanced.
MORE: Carole Middleton hints at George, Charlotte and Louis' excitement on Christmas Eve
As they are not expected to be in Sandringham this year, William and Kate may choose to spend Christmas with Kate's family in Berkshire. Carole and Michael Middleton live in Bucklebury and could form a bubble with the Cambridges.
© Photo: Getty ImagesThe royals could choose to spend Christmas with the Middletons
The two households could also mix with a third household – Kate's younger sister Pippa, her husband James Matthews and their son Arthur, if Pippa and James decide to spend the festive season in Berkshire.
Kate and Pippa's brother James Middleton, meanwhile, and his fiancée Alizee Thevenet appeared to spend the second lockdown in Scotland at the stunning Glen Affric estate, which is owned by Pippa's in-laws. James and Alizee may opt to remain in the Scottish Highlands throughout the festive period.
Make sure you never miss a ROYAL story! Sign up to our newsletter to get all of our celebrity, royal and lifestyle news delivered directly to your inbox.
