The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will spend Christmas at Windsor Castle and not Sandringham as is their usual tradition, Buckingham Palace has said.

A spokeswoman said after considering "all the appropriate advice" the royal couple had opted to celebrate "quietly" at their Berkshire residence.

They usually spend Christmas with other royals at the Queen's Norfolk estate.

The Queen, 94, and the duke, 99, have been living at Windsor during the pandemic with a small household staff.

Berkshire News: Queen and Prince Philip to celebrate Christmas 'quietly' at Windsor https://t.co/G6oie7QaFm

— BerkshireUK (@UKBerkshire) December 1, 2020

It is thought to be the first time the couple have not spent Christmas at their Sandringham home since the mid 1980s.

"Like everyone they hope things will get back to normal in 2021," a palace spokesman said.

The announcement follows earlier speculation about where the Queen and the duke would spend the festive period, in light of Christmas coronavirus guidelines that require people to form "bubbles" of three households over a five-day period.

The Queen and other members of the Royal Family usually attend a Christmas Day service at St Mary Magdalene church in Sandringham, where large crowds gather to greet them.

Last year, Prince George and Princess Charlotte went to the service for the first time.

Last month, the Queen and Prince Philip, who has retired from public duties, marked their 73rd wedding anniversary by releasing a photograph showing them opening a card from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's children.