Queen Elizabeth could break 32-year royal Christmas tradition this year

Queen Elizabeth may be forced to break with royal tradition this Christmas.

Her Majesty, together with Prince Philip and the rest of the British Royal Family, has been celebrating the annual holiday at Sandringham Estate since 1988, while Windsor Castle was being rewired at the time.

Now, thanks to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the monarch and her family may not only be having a scaled-down celebration, but could also hit pause on a 32-year tradition.

It's also been reported Her Majesty has cancelled her annual Christmas service at St Mary's Magdalene Church on the estate, so locals don't line the pathways to give their wishes and get a glimpse of the royals as they usually do.

The annual Buckingham Palace Christmas Party for family and staff has already been cancelled for this year.

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It's not yet known if the Queen will be able to host the entire extended family as she does each year, given the UK's current restrictions would only allow a maximum of six people from different households indoors.

Of course, with eight weeks to go till the big day, there'll be a few changes to those rules between now and then, as the UK fights its second wave of infections coming into the winter months.

Currently both the area around Windsor Castle and the Sandringham estate area is in a 'Medium' COVID Alert Level or Tier 1, as it's also known — the lowest of three restriction categories.

The Queen has already returned to Windsor Castle, where she has been isolating for most of the year, after cutting short a summer break at Balmoral Castle in Scotland.

Her Majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh moved to Sandringham briefly before the monarch returned to Berkshire, but Prince Philip then remained at their Norfolk residence, where he has spent most of his time since his retirement from royal life three years ago.