Pippa Middleton has been invited by her sister, Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, to spend Boxing Day with the royal family at the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. Kate is reportedly missing her family this Christmas season, the first since she married Prince William.

Pippa has been invited to a Boxing Day pheasant shoot.

Kate will of course miss her family on Christmas Day... She has traditionally spent it with them, a source told the Daily Mail, She wants Pippa to join her at Sandringham on Boxing Day because it will make being apart from her family at Christmas a little easier.

Traditionally, the royal family's Christmas celebrations are restricted to the immediate family and their spouses. This time, however, it seems that William wants to make an exception for his wife.

It's unusual for non-family members to receive an invitation, but William wants Kate to feel comfortable and he knows having her sister there will mean a great deal to her, the source added.

Pippa, 28, is equally eager to be a part of the celebration and spend some time with her sister. She has recently split from her boyfriend, Alex Loudon, a month back and is very keen to attend the shoot. In fact, the source told Daily Mail that she's been on a couple of shooting weekends to make sure she won't let the side down.

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