The couple had one particularly testing Christmas that left Kate distraught

Prince William and Princess Kate used to spend Christmas Day apart and come back together for New Year celebrations (Image: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

The decision of where to spend Christmas can be challenging for many families – and it used to be no different for Prince William and Kate Middleton.

Royal tradition prevented Kate from joining the Royal Family at Sandringham before the pair married in 2011, resulting in her and William regularly having to spend December 25 apart.

But, in 2006, they still had plans to celebrate New Year’s together. However, royal author Katie Nicholl claims that William cancelled his plans at the last minute, leaving Kate in tears and worried about their relationship’s future.

In her book The Making of a Royal Romance, published in 2011, she claimed William had promised to join Kate’s family but decided to stay with his own family instead, informing her over the phone on Boxing Day

Katie wrote: “William had been having second thoughts and sat down with his father and his grandmother to have a frank discussion about his future with Kate. Both advised him not to hurry into anything.”

This incident was followed by a brief split between Kate and William in 2007, with sources suggesting the late Queen was disappointed by the breakup. However, it was short-lived, as William and Kate were soon seen together again at the Concert for Diana at Wembley in July 2007, marking 10 years since Princess Diana’s passing.

Their romance was soon confirmed to be rekindled, with Kate moving into William’s Clarence House flat, reports the Mirror. Here, he would return from military duties for cosy weekends together – and as they say, the rest is history. The couple announced their engagement in 2010 and tied the knot in April 2011.

They have been happily married for nearly 13 years now and are parents to three children – Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. While it remains a mystery what the children, aged 10, eight and five, received for Christmas this year, according to Katie, Kate prefers not to spoil her children with lavish tech gifts and favours practical presents to limit their screen time.