The Duke of Cambridge returned to the UK on Thursday last week, after a four day tour to Kuwait and Oman. On arriving back at Heathrow, the 37-year-old Prince was whisked back to Kensington Palace, where he was reunited with George, Charlotte and little Louis. George and Charlotte will soon start their Christmas holidays, and as per tradition they will travel with their parents to spend the festive period at Sandringham.

There they will be able to help put the finishing touches to the Christmas tree decorations, a custom that Queen Charlotte, wife of George III, is thought to have introduced.

Later the enthusiasm of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert for the Christmas tree helped spread its popularity throughout the country.

The Queen’s great grand children can then expect to get their presents from the monarch.

The usual practice is for the Royal Family to lay out their presents on trestle tables, before exchanging their gifts at teatime on Christmas Eve.

Although Christmas is now spent at Her Majesty’s Norfolk estate, it wasn’t always the case in the past.

In the Sixties, many were celebrated at Windsor Castle, where the royals now spend Easter.

However since 1988, as a result of renovations to the castle, the Royal Family moved their Yuletide celebrations to Sandringham.

Before the Cambridge family start their Christmas holidays in earnest, William and Kate have one more important official event to attend.

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The day before the General Election will see the Queen host a reception for members of the Diplomatic Corps.

The gala evening is one of the biggest formal events of the year, with royal attendees breaking out their most stunning tiaras and ballgowns for the private occasion.

The gentlemen will be expected to don their tailcoats, as they conform to the “white tie and decorations” dress code.

William missed his grandmother’s reception for NATO dignitaries on Tuesday, on account of his Middle East trip.

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But the House of Cambridge was ably represented by Kate, who was snapped chatting and joking with the world’s leaders at Buckingham Palace.

After Wednesday’s Palace reception, William will no doubt be looking forward to putting his feet up after a hectic December.

His four day Middle East tour was packed full of events, and included viewing Exercise Desert Warrior at Kuwait National Guard Camp Sheikh Salam Ali and meeting the Sultan of Oman.

He also visited the Jahra Nature Reserve, home to hundreds of species of migratory birds, as they crisscross the globe between their winter and summer habitats.

There he joined a team of litter pickers, as they walked the shore of Persian Gulf mudflats following a trail of plastic bottles, discarded packaging and carrier bags washed up by the sea.

The Prince told his companions: “We’ve made sure we are travelling here we only take our metal bottles with us. Lots of metal bottles.

“I hate plastic bottles now and I look at them and I literally think it’s the enemy.

“You see a plastic bottle and I’m like ‘eugh!’ Horrible isn’t it?”

William’s passion for then environment was instilled in him by his father, the Prince of Wales.

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