Carole Middleton's family heartache this Christmas revealed

Carole Middleton is set to be enduring a heartache this Christmas as she is predicted to be spending Christmas Day away from her daughter Kate Middleton and her royal grandkids, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

• It's expected that the Duchess of Cambridge's parents, Michael and Carole Middleton, are preparing to spend yet another Christmas without their daughter. 
• While Kate has been by Prince William's side for the Queen's traditional Christmas at Sandringham for the majority of the past decade's festive seasons, this year Kate's attendance at Windsor Castle is even more vital for the Queen. 
• This royal news comes after Kate's Christmas Day outfit regret was revealed by a fan. 

With the annual Christmas celebrations at the Sandringham Estate being one of the most key events in the royal family calendar, Kate has been in attendance alongside Prince William almost every single year since she took on her duties within The Firm. 

Since marrying Prince William in 2011, Duchess Catherine has dedicated the majority of her Christmases to the royal side of her family, missing out on Christmas at home in Berkshire with the Middletons all but twice. 

And, like the majority of Brits, the Cambridge family spent Christmas away from all extended family in 2020, with Covid restrictions meaning Kate, William, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis had a quiet Christmas at their Norfolk home, Amner Hall and were unable to see the likes of Carole, Michael, the Queen, Prince Charles or Prince Philip.

This year will be the Queen's first Christmas as a widow, having lost her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, back in April. Her closest royal relatives are expected to be preparing be there for the utmost support, making it a special Christmas despite the loss of Philip. 

Her beloved tradition of spending Christmas with her nearest and dearest on the Sandringham Estate has also been spoiled for a second year in a row, with Her Majesty confirming she will host a smaller Christmas celebration at Windsor Castle, amid growing Covid concerns.

Of course, this will likely mean that Carole, who was recently spotted doing some very lavish Christmas shopping, will have to endure another year of facing Christmas without her eldest daughter back at home, with Kate fulfilling her duties as a senior royal and honoring the Queen on December 25th.

"While perhaps most couples take it in turns to spend Christmas with different sides of the family, the Duchess knows that the festive period is a key time for the royals, and particularly with the Queen's health in recent months and the loss of the Duke of Edinburgh this year, she will be among those to rally around Her Majesty," royal correspondent Daniella Stacey told Hello! magazine.

Carole ensures to keep special traditions with her royal grandchildren over the festive period, confirming earlier this month that she still has a second Christmas tree for George, Charlotte and Louis to decorate as they please. 

"Once again this year we plan to have two Christmas trees: one for the children to decorate and one which I do myself. My beloved tree-top angel is looking a little worse for wear after years of service so it’s time to invest in something new," a post on the Instagram account for Carole's business Party Pieces reads, alongside an image of a gorgeous golden star, available to buy from her online store. 

Despite the potential that she won't be able to spend time with Kate on Christmas Day, it's expected that Carole and Michael will have son James Middleton and his new wife Alizee Thevenet plus daughter Pippa Middleton, her husband James Matthews and their kids Arthur and Grace, in attendance. 

Pippa and James welcomed baby Grace back in March, meaning this Christmas will be the tot's first Christmas.