King Charles "always moaned" about shooting his Christmas card picture in the summer.

The 76-year-old monarch and his wife, Queen Camilla, always send out a personalised festive greeting to well-wishers and former royal butler Paul Burrell has detailed how planning for the celebrations takes the household "months".

Asked by Spin Genie how the royal festivities take shape, Paul said: "Royal Christmases take months to plan. Logistics, moving to Sandringham with the court taking, and with their china, silver, wine, food, as well as all their presents and all the things they want to take.

"They've got a massive house at Sandringham to decorate. This process takes months.

"The Christmas card itself is photographed in the summer and Charles always moaned about having to do the Christmas card picture then.

"He didn't understand why it had to be done so early, with Christmas months away.

"It has to be planned, a photo has to be taken, a card has to be designed, and then Charles goes through the process of signing a few hundred cards.

"That's just close people he knows, but the rest are signed by a machine, by an autopen.

"They take the template of one card and the machine gets to work, signs them all, and sends them out. He has that luxury."

Charles is very grateful to have the help and support of his wife when it comes to planning the family celebrations at Sandringham.

Paul added: "Christmas itself and the logistics of taking a dozen or more staff with you and for them to be having Christmas with you in your house is quite daunting.

"It's not just the royals' Christmas, it's also everyone else's Christmas who are there in the house including the chefs, butlers, maids, and private secretaries. The machine doesn't stop just because it's Christmas.

"We can take time off and have a holiday: we're lucky. The King has realised in the last two years that he can't. He has to continue working, with government work and the boxes.

"He is also the master of the house; He has to make sure it all looks right for Christmas, make sure all the guests have the right rooms. It's a hell of a project for the King, and that's where he can defer some to Camilla as she is there for this journey."

Paul was speaking on behalf of https://www.spingenie.com/