There are questions over whether The Queen will attend the annual Christmas Day church service at Sandringham on December 25th as tougher restrictions on social gatherings once again come into force.
The Queen, who very rarely misses the religious service at St Mary Magdalene Church, may be forced to stay at home on Christmas morning instead of attending the traditional event with her family.
The Royal Household is in consultation with key stakeholders over whether it would be appropriate for Her Majesty to attend church following the introduction of stricter rules aiming to limit the spread of the Omicron variant.
The 95-year-old monarch and her aides will be cautious not to increase the risk of spreading the new variant, with scientists still unsure about how transmissible the strain is.
Her Majesty will also be acutely aware that her presence at St Mary Magdalene Church on Christmas morning will attract a large crowd of people hoping to catch a glimpse of the monarch.
Last year, for the first time since 1987, The Queen decided to spend Christmas away from Sandringham.
This was due to the fact households could not mix over the festive period in 2020, with Her Majesty deciding to spend the festive period instead at Windsor with Prince Philip.
In recent memory, the only other time The Queen missed the traditional Christmas Day church service was in 2016 when she was suffering from a heavy cold.
Despite her appearance at Sandringham on Christmas morning looking doubtful, it is being reported that the monarch will host her annual Christmas lunch this year for her extended family.
Usually held at Buckingham Palace, The Queen hosts a large meal for her family.
It is thought that this event will go ahead in 2021, however, in a change of scenery will be held at Windsor Castle.
