Strict Christmas dinner rule George, Charlotte and Louis have to follow until they get older

Every year, the Royal Family gets together for a special Christmas dinner but one strict rules separates the children from the adults – including George, Charlotte and Louis

There’s one strict royal dinnertime rule that doesn’t even let up for Prince George, Princess Charlotte or Prince Louis over Christmas.

Every year, the entire extended Royal Family gets together at Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle for a special Christmas dinner to kick off the festive period. It’s one of the royals’ many traditions across the month of December, like celebrating Christmas Day at the Sandringham Estate.

A former staff member has described one royal custom in particular as quite ‘Victorian’ in nature. It concerns the pinnacle of the annual celebrations – Christmas dinner itself – and it’s followed by Prince William and Princess Kate’s three children, George, 11, Charlotte, nine, and Louis, six.

As per tradition at formal dinners, the children are seated separately from the adults. The rule was revealed to have been in place during the late Queen Elizabeth’s reign and was enforced even for special occasions like Christmas. Former royal chef Darren McGrady, who worked for the royals for 15 years, previously spoke out about it.

The chef told Harpers Bazaar that the royal children wouldn’t be allowed to join the grown-ups until they were older and had “learned the art of polite conversation”. Speaking to Hello Magazine, McGrady also said: “The children always ate in the nursery until they were old enough to conduct themselves properly at the dining table”.

He added that “for the Queen, there was never a case of putting a high chair at the table with a little baby squealing and throwing food. It was Victorian. The children’s place was in the nursery and Nanny would take care of them”. McGrady added: “It’s your modern-day Downton Abbey.”

During a podcast appearance, Mike Tindall – who is married to Zara Tindall, the daughter of Princess Anne – said the ‘no children at the dinner table rule’ extends to the festive celebration too. He told JOE UK’s House of Rugby podcast: “The family lunch, there must be about 70 of us there – there are seven tables and then the kiddies have their own little one in a different room.”

It is also customary for the royals to swap family Christmas presents on Christmas Eve, instead of Christmas Day. They are said to lay out all of their gifts on different tables, so each guest has their own little pile. The tradition dates back to their German heritage.

McGrady previously said: “The royals are of German descent so they weave in German traditions to their celebrations. After afternoon tea, they open gifts on Christmas Eve, as is the German tradition.” Some of the gifts exchanged over the years include a leather toilet seat for Prince Charles, a grow-your-own girlfriend kit for Prince Harry and a shower cap for the late Queen with ‘ain’t life a b****’ emblazoned across it.