She spent yesterday catching up with distant relatives at her annual pre-Christmas lunch.
But now the Queen has left the bustling London crowds behind and headed to her country estate in Sandringham, Norfolk, for the festive season.
The 89-year-old monarch was spotted boarding the 10.44am train this morning from King's Cross in London to King's Lynn in Norfolk, alongside her husband Prince Philip.
Flanked by her personal staff and police escorts, Her Majesty smiled warmly at well-wishers as she stepped aboard her cordoned off first class carriage.
Never one to dress down, the Queen looked sophisticated in a pastel pink-coloured boucle coat adorned with pearl buttons, a matching skirt that fell just below her knees and black gloves.
Meanwhile, the Duke of Edinburgh, 94, looked smart in a navy suit, light blue-hued striped shirt and patterned silk tie.
They were believed to be travelling on £54.90 first class tickets for the 1 hour 37 minute journey on the Great Northern service.
While Prince Philip decided to pass the journey time by reading a hardback book, onlookers spotted the Queen leafing through her paperwork and scrolling through her mini iPad.
Off on one's holidays: The Queen and Prince Philip board a train to Sandringham for traditional Christmas break (he's armed with a book while she has her iPad mini)
The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh boarded 10.44am train at King's Cross
Onlookers said Her Majesty browsed her mini iPad while aboard the train
The pair arrived in King's Lynn, two minutes late, at 12.23pm
She held annual pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace yesterday
By Sarah Barns For Mailonline
17 December 2015
Daily Mail
She spent yesterday catching up with distant relatives at her annual pre-Christmas lunch.
But now the Queen has left the bustling London crowds behind and headed to her country estate in Sandringham, Norfolk, for the festive season.
The 89-year-old monarch was spotted boarding the 10.44am train this morning from King's Cross in London to King's Lynn in Norfolk, alongside her husband Prince Philip.
The Queen has left the bustling London crowds behind and headed to her country estate in Sandringham, Norfolk, for the festive season
The 89-year-old monarch was spotted boarding a train at King's Cross Station alongside her husband Prince Philip this morning
The Queen and Prince Philip have made their annual train journey from King's Cross in London to King's Lynn in Norfolk to spend Christmas at Sandringham
Flanked by her personal staff and police escorts, Her Majesty smiled warmly at well-wishers as she stepped aboard her cordoned off first class carriage.
Never one to dress down, the Queen looked sophisticated in a pastel pink-coloured boucle coat adorned with pearl buttons, a matching skirt that fell just below her knees and black gloves.
Meanwhile, the Duke of Edinburgh, 94, looked smart in a navy suit, light blue-hued striped shirt and patterned silk tie.
They were believed to be travelling on £54.90 first class tickets for the 1 hour 37 minute journey on the Great Northern service.
While Prince Philip decided to pass the journey time by reading a hardback book, onlookers spotted the Queen leafing through her paperwork and scrolling through her mini iPad.
The Queen is said to have ordered the device back in 2011 after being given a crash course on it by her grandsons, Prince William and Prince Harry.
Flanked by police escorts, Her Majesty and Prince Philip smiled warmly at well-wishers as the pair stepped aboard their carriage
While Prince Philip decided to pass time during the two and a half hour journey by reading a hardback book, onlookers spotted the Queen scrolling through her iPad
The Queen is seen in the first class carriage of the train while heading to King's Lynn station
The Queen spent the journey catching up with paperwork and chatting to husband Prince Philip
Her Majesty was photographed browsing through her papers and is said to have been scrolling on her iPad
The train carrying Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh arrives at King's Lynn station in Norfolk
The Queen is seen arriving at King's Lynn train station in Norfolk, wearing one of her famous silk head scarfs
Sandringham House in Norfolk has been the private home of four generations of Sovereigns since 1862. The Queen and other members of the Royal Family regularly spend Christmas at Sandringham and make it their official base until February each year. It was here that the Queen's father, King George VI, died on 6th February 1952. Unlike Buckingham Palace, Sandringham is a private home of the Royals
The dining room in Sandringham House where the Royal Family have their Christmas dinner
A royal insider told The Sun at the time: 'The Queen hadn’t seen anything like the iPad before. She was very impressed.
'She was particularly taken with how easy it was to use, the large screen and how light it was.
'For a woman of her age, she is very switched on. It was only a matter of time before she asked someone to go and get her one.'
They added: 'The Princes think it is hilarious. They love the fact that their gran wants an iPad and think she’s really cool.'
The Queen is a big fan of Apple gadgets and is believed to own at least two iPods.
The monarch has made it somewhat of a yearly habit to take the train to King's Lynn.
The pair were then driven to Sandringham House, about seven miles from King's Lynn, after greeting station staff when their service arrived two minutes late at 12.23pm.
Sandringham has been owned by the royal family since 1862 when it was purchased by Queen Victoria at the request of her son Edward, then Prince of Wales.
Since then, the house has been in continuous use by the royal family and it was there that King George VI died on the 6th February 1952.
It is also from Sandringham that the Queen's annual Christmas speech is broadcast.
The Queen and her close protection officers, one of whom carried a checked blanket, arrive in Norfolk
Never one to dress down, The Queen looked sophisticated in a pastel pink-coloured boucle coat adorned with pearl buttons, a matching skirt that fell just below her knees and black gloves
The Queen is believed to have spent the train journey browsing on her iPad. She ordered the device back in 2011 after being given a crash course on it by her grandsons, Prince William and Prince Harry
The Queen avoided the December chill by wrapping one of her patterned silk scarves around her head
The Duke of Edinburgh is seen arriving in King's Lynn, carrying a blue hardback book
Meanwhile, The Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry and Prince George were amongst guests invited to Buckingham Palace yesterday for a large family gathering.
The Queen's annual pre-Christmas lunch is a tradition that allows her to catch up with more distant relations.
By contrast, only close relatives will be with Her Majesty on the big day.
Prince Edward and his wife Sophie Wessex arrived in a Range Rover – but Lord Nicholas Windsor, the Queen’s cousin, chose to hail a black cab.
Others spotted pulling up at the palace included Princess Eugenie, the Duke of Kent, Lady Helen Taylor, the Countess of Wessex, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Earl of Wessex.
Zara Phillips, the Queen’s granddaughter, arrived alongside husband Mike Tindall, a former England rugby player.
It has been a busy week for The Queen and Prince Philip who hosted a pre-Christmas lunch yesterday
The Royal Family's Christmas at Sandringham
Lady Elizabeth Anson, the Queen's cousin, stands in front of the tree in the living room of her London home
THE TREE: A 20ft Norfolk spruce that all the family help to decorate
What the Royals do:
All the family help decorate the 20ft Norfolk spruce on Christmas Eve. Prince Philip always places the gold star at the top, and Queen Victoria’s little glass angels take pride of place.
THE FOOD: Local turkey on the big day... and a boar's head on the sideboard
What the Royals do:
They gather in the dining hall for a formal dinner on Christmas Eve. It is unusual for the Queen to sit at the head of the table but there is a seating plan with name cards. The meat dish can be goose, beef or chicken – turkey is reserved for Christmas lunch. On Christmas morning, breakfast is laid out in the dining hall. Marmalade and Tiptree jams are favourites. The Queen has a soft spot for sausages.
For Christmas lunch, the Royal Family always have a turkey supplied by one of the Sandringham estate farmers, and it is carved by the Queen’s chef. There is also a selection of carved cold meats on the sideboard – and even a boar’s head!
AND TO DRINK: Wines that Philip has approved and some stirring cocktails
What the Royals do:
The Queen may be head of the ‘Firm’ but it is the Duke of Edinburgh who takes charge at Christmas. He offers the men liqueurs after a meal and pays close attention to the wine. If he likes a bottle, he will write on the label ‘Good’ or ‘Very good’ so it can be ordered again.
Dry martinis – stirred not shaken – are always served at cocktail hour. Once the Queen Mother was anguished to find that instead of the classic cocktail, she received a warm vermouth made, confusingly, by Bacardi-Martini. Journalist R. W. Apple was present, and it is said she employed him to instruct the butler in the art of an 11:1 martini (proportion of gin to vermouth).
THE PRESENTS: Loo roll holders to a 'grow your own girlfriend' kit
What the Royals do:
The Royals traditionally open their family presents after afternoon tea of Earl Grey and scones on Christmas Eve. At 6pm precisely, they gather around the Christmas tree awaiting the Queen’s signal to open presents, one after another. The gifts are laid out in the drawing room on trestle tables covered in white linen.
Princess Anne once gave Charles a white leather loo seat, William gave Philip a gumboot-shaped soap, and Harry bought his grandmother a shower cap emblazoned with the words ‘Ain’t life a bitch?’ Last Christmas, Kate gave her brother-in-law, Prince Harry, a ‘grow your own girlfriend’ kit.
The Queen likes practical gifts: on one occasion, she unwrapped a washing-up apron and declared: ‘It’s just what we wanted.’ Another year, she was delighted to receive a casserole dish.
Princess Diana fell foul of the family ‘cheap and cheerful’ ritual on her first Christmas at Sandringham as a newly-wed in 1981. She gave a cashmere sweater to Princess Anne – who, in return, handed over a gaudy loo-roll holder. She swiftly caught on, however, once giving Fergie a leopard-print bath mat. The Queen chooses much more traditional gifts for her servants. This year, in deference to her advancing years, she will personally hand over presents only to those who have worked for the Royal Household for at least a decade. In the past she has doled out Tesco Christmas puddings in the music room. This year the 500-plus staff will receive china tankards.
Traditional: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge pictured on her way to the Christmas Day church service at the Royal estate in Sandringham, Norfolk in 2013
CHURCH: A leisurely stroll to the service
What the Royals do:
Prince Philip leads the family on the 330-yard walk to the 16th Century church of St Mary Magdalene on Christmas morning. The Queen, however, is driven. The service is always about 45 minutes, the Queen having received Communion privately in the morning.
ENTERTAINMENT: Fun and games but Monopoly is banned
What the Royals do:
The Royals enjoy bespoke Christmas crackers made by Dorset company Celebration Crackers. Everyone wears paper hats except the Queen. Party games are popular, as are cards. During a game of Blind Man’s Bluff one year, the Queen Mother grabbed a footman taking refuge behind a curtain with a tray of drinks, thinking he was one of the family. The Royals are known to be fiercely competitive and Monopoly is banned because ‘it gets too vicious’.
Read more: The Queen and Prince Philip board a train to Sandringham from London | Daily Mail Online
The Royal Family's Sandringham Chrismas dinner | Daily Mail Online
But now the Queen has left the bustling London crowds behind and headed to her country estate in Sandringham, Norfolk, for the festive season.
The 89-year-old monarch was spotted boarding the 10.44am train this morning from King's Cross in London to King's Lynn in Norfolk, alongside her husband Prince Philip.
Flanked by her personal staff and police escorts, Her Majesty smiled warmly at well-wishers as she stepped aboard her cordoned off first class carriage.
Never one to dress down, the Queen looked sophisticated in a pastel pink-coloured boucle coat adorned with pearl buttons, a matching skirt that fell just below her knees and black gloves.
Meanwhile, the Duke of Edinburgh, 94, looked smart in a navy suit, light blue-hued striped shirt and patterned silk tie.
They were believed to be travelling on £54.90 first class tickets for the 1 hour 37 minute journey on the Great Northern service.
While Prince Philip decided to pass the journey time by reading a hardback book, onlookers spotted the Queen leafing through her paperwork and scrolling through her mini iPad.
Off on one's holidays: The Queen and Prince Philip board a train to Sandringham for traditional Christmas break (he's armed with a book while she has her iPad mini)
The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh boarded 10.44am train at King's Cross
Onlookers said Her Majesty browsed her mini iPad while aboard the train
The pair arrived in King's Lynn, two minutes late, at 12.23pm
She held annual pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace yesterday
By Sarah Barns For Mailonline
17 December 2015
Daily Mail
She spent yesterday catching up with distant relatives at her annual pre-Christmas lunch.
But now the Queen has left the bustling London crowds behind and headed to her country estate in Sandringham, Norfolk, for the festive season.
The 89-year-old monarch was spotted boarding the 10.44am train this morning from King's Cross in London to King's Lynn in Norfolk, alongside her husband Prince Philip.
The Queen has left the bustling London crowds behind and headed to her country estate in Sandringham, Norfolk, for the festive season
The 89-year-old monarch was spotted boarding a train at King's Cross Station alongside her husband Prince Philip this morning
The Queen and Prince Philip have made their annual train journey from King's Cross in London to King's Lynn in Norfolk to spend Christmas at Sandringham
Flanked by her personal staff and police escorts, Her Majesty smiled warmly at well-wishers as she stepped aboard her cordoned off first class carriage.
Never one to dress down, the Queen looked sophisticated in a pastel pink-coloured boucle coat adorned with pearl buttons, a matching skirt that fell just below her knees and black gloves.
Meanwhile, the Duke of Edinburgh, 94, looked smart in a navy suit, light blue-hued striped shirt and patterned silk tie.
They were believed to be travelling on £54.90 first class tickets for the 1 hour 37 minute journey on the Great Northern service.
While Prince Philip decided to pass the journey time by reading a hardback book, onlookers spotted the Queen leafing through her paperwork and scrolling through her mini iPad.
The Queen is said to have ordered the device back in 2011 after being given a crash course on it by her grandsons, Prince William and Prince Harry.
Flanked by police escorts, Her Majesty and Prince Philip smiled warmly at well-wishers as the pair stepped aboard their carriage
While Prince Philip decided to pass time during the two and a half hour journey by reading a hardback book, onlookers spotted the Queen scrolling through her iPad
The Queen is seen in the first class carriage of the train while heading to King's Lynn station
The Queen spent the journey catching up with paperwork and chatting to husband Prince Philip
Her Majesty was photographed browsing through her papers and is said to have been scrolling on her iPad
The train carrying Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh arrives at King's Lynn station in Norfolk
The Queen is seen arriving at King's Lynn train station in Norfolk, wearing one of her famous silk head scarfs
Sandringham House in Norfolk has been the private home of four generations of Sovereigns since 1862. The Queen and other members of the Royal Family regularly spend Christmas at Sandringham and make it their official base until February each year. It was here that the Queen's father, King George VI, died on 6th February 1952. Unlike Buckingham Palace, Sandringham is a private home of the Royals
The dining room in Sandringham House where the Royal Family have their Christmas dinner
A royal insider told The Sun at the time: 'The Queen hadn’t seen anything like the iPad before. She was very impressed.
'She was particularly taken with how easy it was to use, the large screen and how light it was.
'For a woman of her age, she is very switched on. It was only a matter of time before she asked someone to go and get her one.'
They added: 'The Princes think it is hilarious. They love the fact that their gran wants an iPad and think she’s really cool.'
The Queen is a big fan of Apple gadgets and is believed to own at least two iPods.
The monarch has made it somewhat of a yearly habit to take the train to King's Lynn.
The pair were then driven to Sandringham House, about seven miles from King's Lynn, after greeting station staff when their service arrived two minutes late at 12.23pm.
Sandringham has been owned by the royal family since 1862 when it was purchased by Queen Victoria at the request of her son Edward, then Prince of Wales.
Since then, the house has been in continuous use by the royal family and it was there that King George VI died on the 6th February 1952.
It is also from Sandringham that the Queen's annual Christmas speech is broadcast.
The Queen and her close protection officers, one of whom carried a checked blanket, arrive in Norfolk
Never one to dress down, The Queen looked sophisticated in a pastel pink-coloured boucle coat adorned with pearl buttons, a matching skirt that fell just below her knees and black gloves
The Queen is believed to have spent the train journey browsing on her iPad. She ordered the device back in 2011 after being given a crash course on it by her grandsons, Prince William and Prince Harry
The Queen avoided the December chill by wrapping one of her patterned silk scarves around her head
The Duke of Edinburgh is seen arriving in King's Lynn, carrying a blue hardback book
Meanwhile, The Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry and Prince George were amongst guests invited to Buckingham Palace yesterday for a large family gathering.
The Queen's annual pre-Christmas lunch is a tradition that allows her to catch up with more distant relations.
By contrast, only close relatives will be with Her Majesty on the big day.
Prince Edward and his wife Sophie Wessex arrived in a Range Rover – but Lord Nicholas Windsor, the Queen’s cousin, chose to hail a black cab.
Others spotted pulling up at the palace included Princess Eugenie, the Duke of Kent, Lady Helen Taylor, the Countess of Wessex, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Earl of Wessex.
Zara Phillips, the Queen’s granddaughter, arrived alongside husband Mike Tindall, a former England rugby player.
It has been a busy week for The Queen and Prince Philip who hosted a pre-Christmas lunch yesterday
The Royal Family's Christmas at Sandringham
Lady Elizabeth Anson, the Queen's cousin, stands in front of the tree in the living room of her London home
THE TREE: A 20ft Norfolk spruce that all the family help to decorate
What the Royals do:
All the family help decorate the 20ft Norfolk spruce on Christmas Eve. Prince Philip always places the gold star at the top, and Queen Victoria’s little glass angels take pride of place.
THE FOOD: Local turkey on the big day... and a boar's head on the sideboard
What the Royals do:
They gather in the dining hall for a formal dinner on Christmas Eve. It is unusual for the Queen to sit at the head of the table but there is a seating plan with name cards. The meat dish can be goose, beef or chicken – turkey is reserved for Christmas lunch. On Christmas morning, breakfast is laid out in the dining hall. Marmalade and Tiptree jams are favourites. The Queen has a soft spot for sausages.
For Christmas lunch, the Royal Family always have a turkey supplied by one of the Sandringham estate farmers, and it is carved by the Queen’s chef. There is also a selection of carved cold meats on the sideboard – and even a boar’s head!
AND TO DRINK: Wines that Philip has approved and some stirring cocktails
What the Royals do:
The Queen may be head of the ‘Firm’ but it is the Duke of Edinburgh who takes charge at Christmas. He offers the men liqueurs after a meal and pays close attention to the wine. If he likes a bottle, he will write on the label ‘Good’ or ‘Very good’ so it can be ordered again.
Dry martinis – stirred not shaken – are always served at cocktail hour. Once the Queen Mother was anguished to find that instead of the classic cocktail, she received a warm vermouth made, confusingly, by Bacardi-Martini. Journalist R. W. Apple was present, and it is said she employed him to instruct the butler in the art of an 11:1 martini (proportion of gin to vermouth).
THE PRESENTS: Loo roll holders to a 'grow your own girlfriend' kit
What the Royals do:
The Royals traditionally open their family presents after afternoon tea of Earl Grey and scones on Christmas Eve. At 6pm precisely, they gather around the Christmas tree awaiting the Queen’s signal to open presents, one after another. The gifts are laid out in the drawing room on trestle tables covered in white linen.
Princess Anne once gave Charles a white leather loo seat, William gave Philip a gumboot-shaped soap, and Harry bought his grandmother a shower cap emblazoned with the words ‘Ain’t life a bitch?’ Last Christmas, Kate gave her brother-in-law, Prince Harry, a ‘grow your own girlfriend’ kit.
The Queen likes practical gifts: on one occasion, she unwrapped a washing-up apron and declared: ‘It’s just what we wanted.’ Another year, she was delighted to receive a casserole dish.
Princess Diana fell foul of the family ‘cheap and cheerful’ ritual on her first Christmas at Sandringham as a newly-wed in 1981. She gave a cashmere sweater to Princess Anne – who, in return, handed over a gaudy loo-roll holder. She swiftly caught on, however, once giving Fergie a leopard-print bath mat. The Queen chooses much more traditional gifts for her servants. This year, in deference to her advancing years, she will personally hand over presents only to those who have worked for the Royal Household for at least a decade. In the past she has doled out Tesco Christmas puddings in the music room. This year the 500-plus staff will receive china tankards.
Traditional: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge pictured on her way to the Christmas Day church service at the Royal estate in Sandringham, Norfolk in 2013
CHURCH: A leisurely stroll to the service
What the Royals do:
Prince Philip leads the family on the 330-yard walk to the 16th Century church of St Mary Magdalene on Christmas morning. The Queen, however, is driven. The service is always about 45 minutes, the Queen having received Communion privately in the morning.
ENTERTAINMENT: Fun and games but Monopoly is banned
What the Royals do:
The Royals enjoy bespoke Christmas crackers made by Dorset company Celebration Crackers. Everyone wears paper hats except the Queen. Party games are popular, as are cards. During a game of Blind Man’s Bluff one year, the Queen Mother grabbed a footman taking refuge behind a curtain with a tray of drinks, thinking he was one of the family. The Royals are known to be fiercely competitive and Monopoly is banned because ‘it gets too vicious’.
Read more: The Queen and Prince Philip board a train to Sandringham from London | Daily Mail Online
The Royal Family's Sandringham Chrismas dinner | Daily Mail Online
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