Queen will not travel to Sandringham for Christmas, Palace confirms

The Queen will not travel to Sandringham for Christmas, it has emerged this evening.

Speculation has grown in recent days that the 95-year-old monarch would spend a second successive festive season away from the West Norfolk estate.

And it has now been confirmed that the Queen will remain at Windsor Castle for the holiday period, which will be the first since the death of her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, in April.

Buckingham Palace officials said tonight that the move is a personal decision and "reflects a precautionary approach" amid concern over the Omicron variant of coronavirus.

The Queen remained in Windsor with Prince Philip last Christmas, amid Covid concerns.

Prior to 2020, the Queen had spent each Christmas since the late 1980s at Sandringham.

Thousands of people traditionally gather close to the St Mary Magdalene Church to see members of the Royal Family as they attended the Christmas Day service.

The monarch usually stays at Sandringham until after Accession Day in early February.