The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's Christmas plans dashed - so how will they celebrate?

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are going to have to re-think their Christmas plans after the Middleton's Berkshire home was plunged into Tier 4.

• The couple were due to spend their Christmas Day with Mike and Carole Middleton after the Queen made the decision to celebrate "quietly" at Windsor Castle
• It would have been the Middleton's first Christmas Day with all four of their grand-children, as Pippa Middleton and her husband James Matthews were attending with their son, Arthur
• It follows royal news Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have held out an olive branch this Christmas 

Prince William and Duchess Catherine will no longer be able to spend Christmas at Mike and Carole Middleton's Berkshire home, after Boris Johnson introduced stricter covid-19 restrictions for the South of England. 

With the Queen celebrating "quietly" at Windsor Castle with Prince Philip, the plan was for William and Catherine to travel to Bucklebury - where the Middleton family live to stay for the festive period.

The Duchess' sister, Pippa Middleton, was also due to join with her husband, James Matthews, and their son Arthur. Leaving the Middleton's brimming with joy at the prospect of having all four of their grandchildren home for Christmas. 

But, things all changed when the tier system was reviewed on 16th December and London and Berkshire were put into Tier 2.

According to the Mail on Sunday's Emily Andrews, Catherine then offered to host at Amner Hall in Norfolk.

But, in a blow to all involved, Berkshire and London - where Mike and Carole and Pippa and James live respectively - have now been placed into Tier 4, which bans all household from mixing and staying overnight. 

The Cambridge's had already made a lucky escape from Kensington Palace and have been staying at Amner Hall in Norfolk - where it is thought they'll remain for the festive period.

Like so many families up and down the country, Christmas as we know it has been cancelled. 

Just earlier this month Prince William opened up about how hard it had been to make plans for the festive season with the ongoing changes amid the global pandemic. 

Opening up during the Royal Train Tour, he said, "It is so difficult, we are still trying to make plans. It's difficult to know what to do for the best."