Why the Duchess of Cambridge waited until Meghan had left Sandringham to do this on Boxing Day

While the Duchess of Cambridge and the Duchess of Sussex have plenty in common - an entire royal family and a Prince for a husband, to name a few - it's becoming clear that they differ on one specific, controversial subject - hunting.

Over the festive period, Catherine, Meghan, and their respective partners joined the rest of the family for Christmas celebrations at the Queen's Sandringham estate.

But the events were likely tinged with little bit of awkwardness for the Duchess of Sussex, who is said to not be a fan of the annual royal tradition of the Boxing Day hunt.

Reports had suggested that Meghan had even banned her husband Prince Harry from taking part.

However, this proved to be merely speculation, as the Duke did in fact join dad Prince Charles, Prince William, and the rest of the clan for the shooting event on the Norfolk estate.

But it seems the Duchess of Cambridge didn't follow suit, despite being a fan of the controversial hobby. Instead, she choose to go shooting only after Meghan had left Sandringham entirely.

Royal correspondent Rebecca English, writing for the Daily Mail, claimed that Catherine waited until the day after the Duchess of Sussex had left the estate on Boxing Day, to join her husband the rest of the royals for a hunt around the estate.

It's not clear why she held back, but given that Meghan doesn't entirely approve of the royal pastime, it's a sweet thought that Catherine was keen to keep her new sister-in-law company instead.

Neither of the Duchesses joined in with the morning Boxing Day hunt, but did show their support for their husbands and the popular family tradition by attending a lunchtime feast of "cold cuts" that afternoon, at Wood Farm, alongside Prince Philip and the Queen.

Wood Farm is a smaller house on the Sandringham Estate, where the Duke of Edinburgh now spends much of his time in his retirement. It is located just minutes away from the main house.

Reportedly, Catherine couldn't resist taking part in the shooting event, now being a "keen markswoman" after joining Prince William for various hunts since 2007.

She's even allegedly invested in her own 20-bore shotgun in order to help her pursue her much-loved hobby. A royal source revealed, "She frequently goes out shooting when she is staying at Anmer Hall [hers and William's country home in Norfolk] and has become a really good shot.

"She is very much into the hunting, shooting and fishing country lifestyle."

While Meghan isn't a fan of the family's hunting, she is said to have accepted that it is a royal family tradition that dates back many decades - and something she is not likely to change.