Like many families around the world, the British royal family is packed during the Christmas season. Prince William had recently said that 45 people would be coming to Sandringham Manor for the holidays this year, and following the prince's confession, even more relatives have been added to the guest list. In fact, space is so limited that one year the queen's own daughter had to find another place to sleep.

Sandringham House in the Norfolk countryside was described by Ingrid Sward, editor-in-chief of Majesty magazine, in a recent interview with OK! magazine as “small by royal standards. While there are numerous cottages on approximately 20,000 acres, the main house has 29 bedrooms.

“Guests often have to stay in vacant servants' quarters or cottages on the grounds. But it is up to the king, because if he beckons, they all go,” says Sward. At Sandringham, it was so cramped that the ornery Princess Anne once took matters into her own hands.

“One year, there were so many people that Princess Anne got a caravan for the horse show and stayed there,” revealed the royal editor. This is the height of Princess Anne's classic behavior

Some royals, like Prince William and Princess Kate, are lucky enough to have their own place to stay. The Prince and Princess of Wales were given Anmer Hall, a luxurious country house at Sandringham Manor, by the late Queen Elizabeth.

Once everyone has settled in, the merriment is set to begin, with presents to be opened on Christmas Eve and a rather lavish buffet dinner. It is what Princess Diana once called “a dreadful and very disappointing experience.” Under King Charles' reign, however, the schedule seems to have eased at least a bit.

“The schedule is still there, and it's really quite exhausting,” writer Robert Hardman told OK! 'You're doing one thing, then you have to get dressed for a drink, then get dressed again for dinner. A lot of things happen, and the formal, everyday stuff is part of it. But it's not a military-style operation like Prince Philip was overseeing.”

The royal biographer continued, “In those days, if you weren't where you were supposed to be at the right time, there was trouble! The king was not so strict, so there was more fluidity to the hours.”

With a full house again this year (except for Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson), Anne will need to have her caravan ready.