The Queen left children upset on Sunday after she left church at Sandringham without collecting any flowers from the children waiting outside.

When the Queen is in residence at her Norfolk estate, the Queen attends church on Sundays at St Mary Magdalene Church on the Sandringham estate, and traditionally collects bouquets from local children who offer them.

However, she decided to return home immediately after the service this Sunday, “because she received so many bouquets on Christmas Day that she was made late for lunch with her family, police told people in the crowd,” according to the Telegraph.

The paper reports:

One parent, who asked not to be named, said: “We drove more than 50 miles with our five-year-old daughter so she could present a small bouquet to the Queen.

“She had practised how to curtsey and it would have been a big moment for her so it was very disappointing to be told that the Queen was not receiving any flowers.

“This policeman just told us that it was not happening today because the Queen was late for her family lunch on Christmas Day due to so many children giving her flowers.”

An onlooker added: “I have been coming to church services at Sandringham for 20 years and this is the first time that I can remember that the Queen has not accepted flowers.”