HELLO! understands that Prince William and Kate are already in Norfolk, as they always planned to be, following the children breaking up from school.
They look forward to spending time with the family, as usual in Sandringham over Christmas.
WATCH: Inside the royals' Christmas at Sandringham
Earlier this week, the Duke of York pulled out of the lunch as he continues to be dogged by his links to an alleged Chinese spy.
Prince Andrew decided not to attend the gathering after speaking to his ex-wife and close friend Sarah, Duchess of York, according to a source.
FESTIVE ROYALS
It marked the first time in his reign that Charles has hosted the pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace.
In 2022 and 2023, the monarch staged the event at Windsor Castle, but wider members of the family arrived en masse at Buckingham Palace in their cars, much to the delight of surprised tourists.
See who else got an invite to the festive luncheon…
Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi were pictured arriving at the venue. Wrapping up against the winter chill, fashion-forward Beatrice, who is currently pregnant with her second child, kept her outfit under wraps while her husband took the wheel.
The pregnant royal flashed a beaming smile from the passenger seat of the car. Looking radiant with a fresh face of makeup, Beatrice wore her hair down in loose waves.
Beatrice's sister Princess Eugenie followed closely behind in a car with husband Jack Brooksbank. The York royal wrapped up warm in a dark wool coat and adding a touch of sparkle thanks to a pair of glittering drop earrings.
The pair's sighting comes after it was confirmed they would be skipping the annual family gathering at Sandringham this year in order to spend time with their respective in-laws.
Princess Anne made a low profile entrance to her brother's pre-Christmas lunch, but she was pictured leaving alongside her husband Sir Timothy Laurence.
She paired a candy cane-inspired red and white striped scarf with her coat while Timothy went bold in an unconventional yellow patterned scarf.
The Duke of Kent was pictured arriving at King Charles' lunch. The late Queen Elizabeth II's cousin usually makes an appearance at the family's Sandringham festivities over Christmas, too.
Prince and Princess Michael of Kent were among the guests at the exclusive luncheon.
Marie Christine looked chic in a grey wool coat layered over a red wool jumper, accessorising her festive attire with large, gold-rimmed pearl earrings.
Lady Marina (left) and Lady Amelia Windsor (right) were driven to the festivities in style. The fashionable siblings opted for understated outfits to celebrate the holidays with their family members.
Penelope Knatchbull, Countess Mountbatten of Burma is a longtime friend of the royal family, and was particularly close to the late Queen and Prince Philip.
She opted for a monochromatic ensemble including a black and white dress and an ivory scarf.
Channelling her rebellious grandmother Princess Margaret, Lady Margarita Armstrong-Jones couldn't help but catch the eye in a kaleidoscope of colour.
Steering clear of the traditional Christmas reds, greens and blacks, she wore a pink, red, green and blue patterned jacket over a bold crimson top. Gold hoop earrings and radiant, glowy makeup completed her look.
Lady Sarah Chatto and her husband Daniel's son Samuel, 28, wrapped up warm as he arrived by car. His festive cherry red patterned tie and crisp white shirt could just be seen underneath his woolly grey and tan scarf.
The late Queen Elizabeth II's cousin Princess Alexandra made a glamorous appearance in oversized pearl earrings with her hair styled in a sleek half-updo.
Flora Ogilvy's parents James and Julia were all smiles for the family outing. While Princess Alexandra's son opted for a classic black jacket, his wife added a splash of festive cheer with her berry scarf, matching lipstick and sparkly drop earrings.
Flora Vesterberg (nee Ogilvy) and her husband Timothy wore coordinating royal blue outfits for the Christmas outing. The former was pictured in a luxurious coat with oversized gold buttons while Timothy rocked an icy blue tie.
LISTEN: Behind-the-scenes at Kate's carol concert
ROYAL FAN? JOIN THE CLUB
Welcome to The HELLO! Royal Club, where thousands of royal fans like you get to delve deeper into the wonderful world of royalty every day. Want to join them? Just click the button below for a list of club benefits and joining information.
Sign up to HELLO! Daily for all the latest and best royal coverage
By entering your details, you are agreeing to HELLO! Magazine User Data Protection Policy. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information please click here.
