“There is a little ‘shop’ set up in the drawing room at Windsor Castle and the Queen can pop in and choose gifts at her leisure.
“Late at night, after dinner, usually around 10pm, she’ll pop into her little Christmas shop and do some shopping.”
The former royal butler stressed that Elizabeth’s gifts were always thoughtful and practical.
He explained: “The Queen always chooses practical gifts that can be used – never ornaments or decorative things.
“So she might pick some picnic plates, a tablecloth, or a couple of hand towels.
“Then they are wrapped up and a truckload of presents are ready to go to Sandringham.”
Burrell said that the late monarch would even fill stockings her four grown-up children, and chuckle at cracker jokes during the festive period.
