The Queen has decided against celebrating Christmas in Sandringham this year and will stay in Windsor.

The monarch's decision to avoid travelling to Norfolk was a personal one and was made after careful consideration, according to PA news service.

Family will instead visit Windsor over the Christmas period, and precautions and all appropriate guidelines will be followed.

The Queen normally arrives at King’s Lynn station each December and heads to her estate at Sandringham, which to many is a sign that Christmas has begun.

She is currently at Windsor Castle and it had been reported that she missed a church service there over the weekend as a precautionary move to try to ensure her traditional Sandringham celebrations could go ahead.

While the government has not so far set limits on how many should attend family get-togethers over Christmas, its chief medical adviser Prof Chris Whitty has said people should think carefully before attending parties and not mix with anyone they don’t have to.

The Queen was said to be determined to spend her first Christmas without her husband of 73 years, Prince Philip at Sandringham. The Duke of Edinburgh passed away at the age of 99 in April.

Thousands usually gather to greet the Queen and members of her family when they attend morning service at Sandringham Church.