Prince William has made a candid admission about the royal family’s upcoming Christmas plans – as rumours over Prince Andrew’s attendance continue to swirl.

The Prince and Princess of Wales and their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, are preparing to celebrate the holiday with King Charles and the majority of the royal family at Sandringham. And William offered a rare glimpse inside their 25 December plans during a visit with soldiers and their families in Bulford, Wiltshire, admitting 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 friendly 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 organised himself.” Leah St Clair-Lewis, meanwhile, shared 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!”

He reportedly said at the event: “It won’t be quiet, it will be noisy”. The huge family gathering will see the majority of royals head to Norfolk to celebrate with the King. It’s an especially poignant Christmas following both Princess Kate and King Charles’s cancer battles this year.

But while the Sandringham estate will be filled with extended royal family members, there will be some notable absences. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have not received an invitation to this year’s celebration, according to reports – and there is now also a question mark over Prince Andrew’s attendance.

According to the Telegraph, the timing of the scandal poses a “conundrum” for the King, who had expected to be joined by the Duke and the wider Royal family at this week’s private Christmas lunch, as well as at the traditional church service at Sandringham on Christmas Day.

As a result of the ongoing furore, Prince Andrew “should do the decent thing” and opt not to join the royal family at Christmas events to save the King’s blushes, royal insiders told the publication. The monarch is understood to be reluctant to “ban” Andrew from the festivities on December 25 himself, but is concerned that the Duke of York’s presence as the royals walk to church will resurface the Chinese spy row.

Royal expert Rebecca English wrote in the Daily Mail: “He (King Charles) is desperately hoping the Duke of York will ‘do the decent thing’ and ‘recuse’ himself from joining them at Sandringham to spare the rest of the Royal Family further embarrassment.

“He is, at the end of the day, his blood brother: he can’t divorce him, or indeed prevent him from seeing other family members… As it stands, I am told, Andrew is due to join the rest of the family in Norfolk next week for the festive gathering… Engulfed in yet another furore of his own making, pressure is being placed on the duke to ‘see sense’.”