Prince William and Kate Middleton's Christmas travel plans change as Queen cancels Sandringham

The Queen's decision to cancel the Royal Family's Christmas at Sandringham will have a major impact on Prince William and Kate Middleton's travel plans this weekend. 

• The Queen has officially called off the Royal Family's Christmas celebrations at Sandringham House, citing a surge in Covid-19 cases as the reason behind the last-minute decision. 
• Her Majesty is now expected to be joined by Prince William and Kate Middleton at Windsor Castle—a change of plans that's likely to alter the couple's travel arrangements. 
• In other royal news, Kate Middleton granted major honor by the Queen and Royal Family ahead of iconic festive appearance.
  

The Queen has officially canceled Christmas at Sandringham House, as surging Covid rates in the UK cast doubt over the safety of indoor socializing. 

The 95-year-old monarch had hoped to host multiple members of the Royal Family, including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, at her Norfolk estate this weekend, for what will be her first festive holiday since Prince Philip died. 

However, all hopes of a traditional Christmas were dashed on Monday evening, after Buckingham Palace confirmed that the Queen would be remaining at Windsor Castle for the wintery season. The disappointing news comes just a few days after the Queen canceled her Christmas lunch due to the rise of the Omicron variant. 

Don't panic though—Her Majesty won't be alone for the chilly holiday. Her younger relatives, most of whom live in the UK, intend to join her at Windsor Castle and are prepared to follow "all appropriate guidelines" to ensure the special occasion can go ahead safely. 

The switch from Sandringham House to Windsor Castle also means major changes for the family's holiday travel plans. With Christmas now being held in Berkshire, the royals' commute to visit the Queen is likely to be a lot less stressful than in previous years. 

While Sandringham is about a three-hour drive from Prince William and Kate Middleton's London residence at Kensington Palace, Windsor Castle is a mere 50 minutes away. 

This reduction in traveling will give the Cambridges extra time to prepare for the exciting break—as well as a lower risk of car tantrums from their three young children. It's no secret that Prince George isn't exactly the biggest fan of traveling long distances, having previously shown frustration during an official royal tour to Germany. 

The move to Windsor will also benefit Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla, who live nearby the Cambridges at Clarence House.