It's time for the Royal Family to head to Sandringham for their annual Christmas gathering. While their many rules and holiday traditions (including many gag gifts) have been documented over the years, you may be wondering what in the world the Royal Family eats on Christmas Day. The public might imagine a sumptuous feast, but in reality it is more like a buffet restaurant.

Former royal butler Grant Harold described the family's feast to The Sun as “a very sumptuous Toby Carberry” (think of it as the British equivalent of an Old Country buffet or Golden Corral).

“It's like going to Toby Carvery,” he said. The former butler explained that the royal lunch is a “service meal” because the staff is working, but in the evening it is a “buffet” because the staff is off. He added, “And you'll find that the buffet is nothing but bits and pieces [of lunch] served again, nothing wasted.”

As for what to eat, Harold, speaking on behalf of Spin Jenny, told “Marie Claire” that the family “enjoys a traditional Christmas lunch with goose, turkey, and obviously all the trimmings.”

Former palace chef Darren McGrady detailed the meal to The Sun, revealing that the royals usually “have a salad with shrimp and lobster, roast turkey, parsnips, carrots, Brussels sprouts, Christmas pudding with brandy butter for dessert, and other traditional side dishes. We eat everything,” he revealed.

Regarding other royal Christmas traditions, Harold told “Marie Claire” that Queen Elizabeth always “arrives first with Prince Philip, and then the other members of the royal family arrive [at Sandringham] on December 23.

“Prince Charles and Camilla arrive near Christmas Eve and we all have afternoon tea. To the surprise of many, it is during the afternoon tea that the gifts are given,” says the former butler. This follows a German tradition dating back to Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert.

But Santa stops by Sandringham, as he does with children all over the world. Harold explains, “Santa comes for the children that night as well, but for the adults, it's a chance to exchange Christmas gifts.” At least according to the Daily Beast, this is a “strange” tradition that Princess Kate hopes to change in the future.

He continues that after the Christmas Eve presents, the family has dinner, but for Queen Elizabeth, Christmas itself “was all about the religious aspect. He adds, “Some people don't know that Queen Elizabeth went to church around 8:00 a.m., and that was the first service. It was always a quiet moment for her, so there was no press at that point,” Harold says.

This Christmas, roughly 45 members of the royal family, not including Prince Andreu, Princess Beatrice, and Princess Eugenie, will gather at Sandringham to enjoy a lavish buffet. However, it seems as if none of the royal family has ever been to Toby Carvery.