The Queen could break royal tradition by spending Christmas away from Sandringham for the first time in 32 years

• The Queen may not be able to spend Christmas at the Sandringham Estate because staff members are unwilling to isolate away from their families, The Sun reports.
• This could mean she may spend the festive period at Windsor Castle, where she has been isolating for most of the year.
• It would mark the first time in 32 years in which the monarch would spend Christmas away from Sandringham, where she visits the same church — St. Mary Magdalene — every year.
• A Buckingham Palace representative told Insider: "It is too early to speculate on Her Majesty's plans for Christmas."

The Queen may be forced to spend Christmas at Windsor Castle instead of the Sandringham Estate for the first time since 1988.

The Sun initially reported that she might have to remain at Windsor — where she has been isolating for most of this year — over the festive period.

Royal staff members are said to be unwilling to isolate away from their families at the monarch's Norfolk residence.

"The staff said enough is enough. It is absolutely unprecedented," an anonymous royal source told the publication.

"Everybody wants to stay loyal, but they feel they've been pushed too far by being made to isolate from their families for Christmas," the person added.

The Sun said the dispute involved 20 staff members, including cleaning, laundry, and maintenance employees.

A Buckingham Palace representative told Insider: "It is too early to speculate on Her Majesty's plans for Christmas."

The Queen has hosted every Christmas at Sandringham for the past 32 years. Before that, when her children were young, she would alternate between the Norfolk residence and Windsor Castle, the royal family's official website says.

If the report is accurate, this means the Queen would break numerous royal traditions, including the annual Christmas Day visit to St. Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham.

It is also tradition for the royal family to exchange gifts on Christmas Eve, as the entire family usually stays together overnight at the estate.

This too may have to change depending on the UK government's coronavirus restrictions. Currently there is a ban on gatherings of more than six people meeting in England.

• Read more:
• 32 rare photos show what it would be like to self-isolate at Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle
• The Queen follows 8 royal Christmas traditions every year, and some of them may surprise you
• Prince Harry and Meghan Markle broke 6 royal traditions on their first Christmas without the royal family
• Here's how the royal family spends Christmas every year