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Prince William is offering a rare glimpse into the royal family’s Christmas plans.
During his visit with soldiers and their families in Bulford, Wiltshire, on Dec. 10, the Prince of Wales, 42, revealed details about the family’s upcoming Christmas gathering, including the massive guest list.
“We’ll be in Norfolk, at Sandringham. We’ll be 45 for Christmas. It won’t be quiet, it will be noisy,” he said during the outing.
William and Kate Middleton, 42, along with their three children — Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6 — are preparing to celebrate the holiday with King Charles and the majority of the royal family at Sandringham, the Norfolk estate that has long been the traditional Christmas gathering place for the royals.
The prince also admitted that with just days to go until the big day, he’s not prepared.
“Am I ready for Christmas? No, no way am I ready,” he said during a lively chat with soldiers from the 1st Battalion Mercian Regiment.
Sgt. Sam Murray, who has served with the regiment for 20 years, spoke to William as his son Carson Heighway, drew his portrait.
“He asked what my children wanted for Christmas,” Sgt Murray said. “He said he is not organized himself.”
Leah St Clair-Lewis added her own observations, sharing that William spoke about “what he was up to for Christmas and enjoying walks with his dogs at Sandringham.”
“He said there will be 45 of them under one roof for Christmas,” she added. “He didn’t say whether that was just for one day or over the Christmas period. They must need a very long table.”
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This year’s holiday season is expected to be especially poignant, as both Princess Kate and King Charles, 76, have faced significant health challenges. Kate revealed in September that her chemotherapy treatment for cancer, which began in February, had come to an end. Charles, who was diagnosed with cancer around the same time as Kate, is still undergoing treatment.
While the estate will be filled with extended royal family members, there will be some notable absences. A source tells PEOPLE that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have not received an invitation to this year’s celebration. The couple, who are expected to spend the holidays in the U.S., have not joined the royal family for Christmas since 2018, the year of their wedding.
The annual gathering at Sandringham House on Christmas Eve marks a long-standing royal tradition. King Charles and Queen Camilla will host the family for Christmas Eve. This includes continuing the custom of exchanging inexpensive gag gifts — a lighthearted tradition cherished by the royal family.
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The morning after Christmas, following the traditional gift for the children. King Charles will then lead his family in the procession from Sandringham House to St. Mary Magdalene Church on the estate. They’ll greet members of the public as they walk to the service before returning to Sandringham for a festive Christmas lunch.
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Carolyn Robb, a former royal chef and author of Christmas at the Palace: A Cookbook, reflected on the family’s Christmas meals, telling PEOPLE in 2023: “When I was cooking for them, it was always a very large gathering at Christmastime.”
After enjoying a traditional Christmas feast of turkey, glazed ham, roasted potatoes, parsnips, Brussels sprouts and Christmas pudding, the royal family will watch Charles’ Christmas address on television. His mother, Queen Elizabeth, was famous for her annual speeches, delivering the first televised Christmas message in 1957.