Every year, the Royal Family travels to Sandringham to celebrate Christmas, where they have a number of famous traditions, from gift-giving to the annual “weigh-in” after the holiday.
Even the guest list is dictated by custom, as an invitation to this lavish event is typically only extended to a royal couple once they are married.
But in 2006, the late queen made the unprecedented decision to invite an “unregistered” bride for the first time: Prince William’s partner, Kate Middleton.
However, in a surprise twist, the future Princess of Wales politely declined the offer, opting to follow tradition and wait until she could attend as a married woman, with the ring to prove it.
It has gone down in royal history as evidence that Kate, who was just 24 at the time, valued the importance of tradition and patience.
Here MailOnline remembers the moment when Kate Middleton showed her judgment and rejected Queen Elizabeth II’s invitation.
In 2006, the late Queen made the unprecedented decision to invite an “unregistered” bride for the first time: Kate Middleton, pictured on December 1 of that year.
The Queen, pictured at the Christmas Day service in 2006, normally only invited royal couples to Sandringham once they were married.
Every year, the Royal Family travels to Sandringham to celebrate Christmas, where they have a number of famous traditions, from the giving of gifts to the annual weigh-in after the holiday.
Christmas at Sandringham unfolds like a military operation with everything scheduled, from the arrival of the guests to breakfast, walking the dogs, sitting down to lunch and retiring to bed.
There are dozens of long-standing traditions, some stranger than others, that take place each year.
One of them, which is supposedly 100 years old, involves everyone eating Christmas dinner and weighing the Queen before and after the meal, just to make sure they’ve been fed enough.
But amid all the splendor and festivities, the Royal Family can spend some quality time together, away from prying eyes, at the 20,000-acre Norfolk Estate.
The occasion is known to be one where royals let their hair down and enjoy a messy game of football together, along with card and party games.
It was to everyone’s surprise when the winter of 2006 arrived and Kate Middleton turned down that opportunity to mingle with royalty.
She met William in 2001, when they were both studying at the University of St Andrews in Scotland, and since then the couple had attended several royal events together over the years.
Kate was in the crowd watching William at his passing out parade at Sandhurst on December 15.
But tradition dictated that before marrying into the Royal Family, attending large family occasions like Christmas and Easter was out of the question.
Although Buckingham Palace courtiers later insisted that the Queen could invite anyone she wanted to the intimate church service and family lunch, it is believed that until that time no one had been invited unless they were a permanent member of the family.
Kate had known William since they met at university in 2001 and the couple had since been together at several royal events over the years. Photographed at an old men’s match at Eton College on March 18, 2006.
Harry’s girlfriend at the time, Chelsy Davy and Kate Middleton, watch their boyfriends play in a charity polo match at the Beaufort Polo Club on July 29.
Kate was in the crowd watching William at his passing out parade at Sandhurst on December 15.
Queen Elizabeth II walks past her grandson, Prince William, as she inspects graduates during a passing out parade at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst on December 15, 2006.
Kate Middleton, with her parents Carole and Michael, at the Sovereign’s Parade at Sandhurst Military Academy for her boyfriend Prince William’s passing out parade.
Although Kate was an established girlfriend at the time, she decided not to come to Sandringham.
Prince William arrives at the church for the traditional Christmas Day service at Sandringham in 2006.
Princesses Beatrice (left) and Eugenie, daughters of Prince Andrew, arrive at St Mary Magdalene Church on the Sandringham estate on December 25, 2006.
Queen Elizabeth II smiles at her great-niece, four-year-old Margaret Armstrong-Jones, in 2006.
Princess Diana was not invited in 1980, two months before her engagement to Charles was announced.
In his biography Battle Of Brothers, historian Robert Lacey wrote: ‘In 2006, the couple had been dating seriously for almost five years.
“However, when William invited Kate to join him that year at Sandringham for the Royal Family’s traditional Christmas lunch, she declined.
“It was the first time the Queen had extended such an invitation to an unregistered ‘bride’, but Kate had her own take on this break with tradition: she would go to Sandringham on Christmas Day only when she was engaged and had a ring to give. try it.’
Kate’s determined “no” showed that she was willing to respect tradition and wait until the time was right. She was not about to overlook history in her rush to marry into the Royal Family.
So what did Kate do instead of spending Christmas at the world-famous Sandringham? He chose to travel to Scotland to spend the holidays with his parents and family.
A friend said at the time: ‘Kate’s mother Carole wants it to be a week-long celebration. Although Kate is not a wild party animal, her parents love entertaining and really know how to throw a party.
Queen Elizabeth II receives flowers from young children after attending the traditional Christmas Day church service in 2006.
After Kate declined the invitation, the smitten Prince William apparently kept in touch with her by mobile phone while hunting.
Instead of spending Christmas at the world-famous Sandringham Estate, Kate decided to travel to Scotland to spend the holidays with her parents and family. Pictured with his mother Carole on November 10, 2006.
Kate Middleton leaving the Embassy Club in London on December 20, 2006
“They rented a farm in Perthshire and organized several days of filming and big family dinners followed by nights of drinking around a big bonfire.”
According to friends, Kate wanted to spend some time with her family after the recent deaths of both of her grandmothers.
“Kate was incredibly sad to lose both of her grandmothers and this will be the first time the family will be reunited since their deaths,” the friend said. “It’s kind of a Middleton Christmas and there’s no way Kate won’t be a part of it.”
But it seemed that William apparently regretted his decision, and at the traditional royal shooting party during the festive season, the prince appeared glued to his phone.
The future king in love was in his own world, keeping his gun under his arm but his mobile phone firmly in his hand.
While his uncles and grandfather eagerly aimed and proudly collected their quarry, the 24-year-old (presumably Kate) texted furiously.
And Kate stuck to the values she displayed in 2006, taking until 2011 to finally accept the invitation to spend Christmas at Sandringham, eight months after marrying William at Westminster Abbey.
Despite having spent time with the Royal Family for over ten years, the then Duchess of Cambridge later revealed that she was nervous about the festive season with her in-laws.
On Christmas Day 2011, Kate showed no signs of nerves as she made her debut on the way to the church service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham.
Speaking in the 2016 ITV documentary Our Queen At Ninety, she said: “I remember being at Sandringham, for the first time, at Christmas.
And I was worried about what to get the Queen for Christmas. I was thinking, “God, what should I give him?”
‘I thought, “I’ll do something to him.” Which could have gone horribly wrong. But I decided to make my grandmother’s chutney recipe. I was a little worried about it, but the next day I noticed it was on the table.
“I think such a simple gesture was a huge help to me and I’ve noticed it since she’s done it on many occasions, and I think it just shows her thoughtfulness, really, and her care in taking care of everyone.”
On Christmas Day 2011, Kate showed no signs of nerves as she made her debut on the way to the church service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham. She continues to play a starring role in every royal Christmas.