The fun and games don’t stop there: the family stay up well past midnight playing charades and royal protocol insists that no one must retire to bed before the monarch.

It is unknown whether the King insists on this rule or whether the family still watch Flash Gordon! on the insistence of the late Queen, a fun rumour revealed by Brian Blessed (who plays Prince Vultan in the film) in an interview with Yahoo Movies. "It’s her favourite film," he said. "She watches it with her grandchildren every Christmas." Wallace and Gromit is reported to be more up the King's street!

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The homes of the British Royal Family at Christmas