Despite her surprise appearance at yesterday's BBC Sports Personality of the Year award, it seems unlikely Kate will attend the Royal family's Christmas celebrations at Sandringham this year.

The usually well-informed Mandrake column of the Telegraph is reporting that Kate will spend Christmas Day with her family at their house in Berkshire this year as she battles hyperemesis gravidarum, severe morning sickness.

“As things stand, Catherine and her family do not feel confident about her going to Norfolk,” one of her friends tells Mandrake. “They would rather that she stays a quick drive away from hospital. William will probably go to Sandringham, but they are not sure whether he will go for Christmas Day or later in the holiday.”