Home for the holidays? Not Prince William.
The soon-to-be-married prince's military commitment will spare him and Kate Middleton the sometimes agonizing choice that bedevils many young couples in the months before a wedding: Which side of the family to spend Christmas with.
The choice between Queen Elizabeth II's Sandringham Estate in rural Norfolk, where the royal family usually spends Christmas, and the Middletons' more modest but still spacious residence west of London has been taken out of William's hands by the Ministry of Defense.
The second in line to the British throne will be on military assignment on Christmas Day, keeping him away from the royal family's traditional celebration. The assignment gives him an airtight excuse: Neither side of the family can be offended, since the young man will be doing his patriotic duty.
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If William has mince pie — a sugary English holiday staple often made with fruit and raisins — it will probably be industrial strength, mass produced fare at the Royal Air Force base on Anglesey island off the coast of Wales where he serves as a helicopter rescue pilot.
That doesn't necessarily mean he'll be roughing it with the guys.
It's possible Middleton will be in Wales with him, if she opts for some private time with her fiance rather than a holiday with her parents, brother and sister in Bucklebury, the prosperous country village 50 miles (80 kilometers) west of London they call home.
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Middleton's decision may offer insight into her priorities, but the public probably won't find out until the last minute as the palace refuses to disclose her holiday plans.
Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty magazine, said Middleton will likely spend Christmas with her family.
"This would be her last non-royal Christmas," he said. "In the past, once you marry into the fold, you're expected to be at Sandringham forevermore, but that may be changing these days. Once they're married, I think they'll be at Sandringham occasionally but not every year."
He said William has made clear he wants the Middletons to be included in many activities rather than become outcasts after the wedding, as has happened with royal in-laws in the past.
"William is going to make sure the Middleton family is included in all the big events," Little said.
New Year's Eve plans are secret, so far. William's staff is not disclosing his plans, and some veterans of military service say it is unlikely he would be shackled with a New Year's shift after working on Christmas Day. Some expect him and Middleton to jet off to a sunny clime, while others think it likely the couple will hit the London party circuit despite expected cold and damp conditions.
Middleton is in an undefined transition period between her status as a private individual — a commoner, in fact — and a full-fledged member of the royal family seen as a likely future queen. She does not yet have a public schedule with a round of royal commitments, and royal aides do not feel required to comment on her plans or whereabouts.
She made her first appearance with William at a charity fundraiser several days go, seeming to step easily into that role.
Robert Lacey, author of several books on the royals, said Middleton should easily fit into the queen's Christmas routine in coming years, especially as Middleton was raised in the countryside and is comfortable with rural pursuits — including hunting game birds, a Christmas pastime that made the late Princess Diana uncomfortable.
"Diana told friends of mine that the family spent a lot of time killing wild animals and that she didn't like that," said Lacey. "She would escape to the servants' quarters."
He said the queen usually enjoys the festive season — particularly Christmas Eve — in part because it brings back strong memories of her childhood, a "golden age" when her grandfather King George V was on the throne.
But Christmas this year will be a slightly pared down affair in the royal household as the queen tries to economize to reflect the hard times facing Britain. Buckingham Palace officials say the staff Christmas party — usually attended by several hundred people, and paid for out of the queen's private funds — has been axed this year as a cost-cutting measure.
Lest she appear to be a Scrooge, palace officials emphasize that the queen will be giving Christmas gifts to the staff as usual.
It is not clear if the family celebration at Sandringham will also be scaled back. Several generations usually gather at the estate to exchange gifts on Christmas Eve, with the royals having an informal competition to see who can give the most outlandish presents.
On Christmas Day the royals attend a morning service at the Church of St. Mary Magdalene, where locals often gather for a glimpse, then retire to the estate for a gala lunch. Afterward, they all watch the queen's Christmas Broadcast, a cherished tradition that started with a radio address by King George V in 1932. The speech is usually recorded several days before Christmas and televised throughout the Commonwealth.
This is usually followed by a Christmas walk through the woods, sometimes with rifles for shooting game birds.
Princess Diana came to view the family Christmas rituals as an ordeal. But many royal watchers expect it to be easier for Middleton — who has already been with William on and off for eight years — to blend in with the Windsors at holiday time.