How royals not invited to King Charles' Sandringham gathering spent Christmas

Seven-year-old Christopher was absent from the royal celebrations in Norfolk this year, spending Christmas in the US with his mother, Dara Huang, even making time to visit Disneyland, with Dara sharing snaps from their trip on Instagram - what a dream come true for a little boy!

We're of course sure he was invited to Sandringham, but having spent last year with the royals, it was Wolfie's mother's turn to spend the season with him.

A distant cousin of the late Queen, Lady Tatiana Mountbatten gave birth to a baby in September, so it's likely she had her hands full this festive season. That said, she still managed to jet away somewhere snowy, with a photo posted just after Christmas showing the 33-year-old strolling through a field dusted in snow.

While the meal laid on at Sandringham on Christmas Day is no doubt impressive, the Queen's cousin, Zenouska Mowatt, tucked into a cake we feel Prince William would have enjoyed a slice of…

The 33-year-old posted a photo of what looks like a chocolate digestive cake – Prince William's favourite!

Prince William's cousins, Kitty, Amelia and Eliza Spencer spent Christmas in South Africa, celebrating Lady Kitty's 33rd birthday with a decadent soiree under the shining sun – a far cry from Sandringham!

The sisters all shared glimpses of the lavish gathering on Instagram, which saw them soak up the sun and indulge in a banquet fit for royalty.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were in Costa Rica just before Christmas Day, enjoying a break in the South American sun, they returned to the US to spend Christmas at their Montecito home.

The couple reportedly stayed in a private home as opposed to a hotel, with the General Directorate of Migration and Immigration confirming to CRHoy that the couple landed in the country on 14 December and departed on 20 December.

The Duke of Sussex revealed in Sprare that his own family follows a Windsor tradition when it comes to the festive season. "It was Christmas Eve. We FaceTimed with several friends, including a few in Britain. We watched Archie running around the tree. And we opened presents. Keeping to the Windsor family tradition."

Although Harry and Meghan still follow some family traditions, the former Suits star told E! News that the couple also focus on making "special memories" for their young family.

"We're creating new ones now that our little ones are growing up," she told the publication. "And we're enjoying every moment of it."

The late Princess Diana's brother, Charles Spencer, spent the big day at Althorp, posting an update a few days after the 25th, lamenting the poor weather in the Twixmas period – we're with him on that!