THE Queen has chosen her Christmas bubble, according to reports, and it includes some surprising guests.
Dozens of Royals normally join Her Majesty, 94, and Prince Philip, 99, at Sandringham for Christmas – but her kids, grandchildren and great-grandchildren make up 10 separate households.
This means Boris Johnson’s three household cap on Christmas celebrations has put a spanner in the works.
Writing for the Daily Mail, Richard Eden said: “The Queen will set a good example and abide by the rules, so who will be in the ‘royal bubble’? I hear there may be a surprise in store.”
According to his sources: “Prince Edward and his family will be one of the two in her bubble”, thanks to the Queen’s close relationship with his wife, Sophie, 55.
The Earl of Wessex, 56, is the Queen’s youngest son. Prince Charles, 72, as heir to the throne, and Prince William, as next in line, were seen as most likely to join the bubble – but at least one of them won’t be able to celebrate with the Queen this year.
Although the Queen’s courtiers think they’ve hatched a plan to keep all the Royals happy.
The source added: “If they go to Sandringham, their traditional Boxing Day shoot could still take place, enabling them to see members of the family unable to join them on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.”
Up to 30 royals could legally gather for the Boxing Day shoot, as it’s classed as an outdoor sport.
This plan would allow Charles’ wife Camilla to spend some of Christmas with her children Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes, and her five grandkids, as she wouldn’t be able to meet them inside otherwise.
Meanwhile Prince William, Kate and their three kids could see her parents Carole and Michael Middleton, who they celebrated Christmas with in 2012 and 2016, and possibly her siblings Pippa and James.
Normally, a large group of Royals gather at the Norfolk estate, exchanging presents on Christmas Eve and going to church together on Christmas morning – with hundreds of wellwishers gathering to greet them.
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh have spent both lockdowns isolating at Windsor Castle with a small number of staff.
Royal insiders have often claimed Sophie is the Queen’s “favourite” daughter-in-law, which explains why she’s often chosen to travel with the Queen to the Sandringham church service.
Last year, a source told us: “She is trusted and relied on by the Queen in a way I couldn’t say applied to the Duchess of Cambridge or the Duchess of Cornwall. She is like another daughter to Her Majesty, they are that close.”
She and Edward would be joined at the Queen’s residence by kids Lady Louise Windsor, 17, and James, Count Severn, 12.
It’s not known who will make up the third house in the bubble, which could be the Cambridges, Prince Charles or his brother Andrew, 60.
Andrew is often said to be the Queen’s “favourite child” – although he has his own kids, Princess Eugenie and Beatrice, who he’ll likely want to see on Christmas Day.
The Queen’s only daughter Princess Anne, 70, is expected to bubble with one or both of her children, Zara Tindall and Peter Phillips, and their families.
Meanwhile, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are planning to “Christmas in California”.
Earlier today we revealed how The Crown could be extended by Netflix to show Prince Harry and Wills as adults, Finding Freedom’s author has claimed.
