Queen Elizabeth has been living a full life. At the age of 95, she’s still strong, healthy, and able to serve the British monarchy.

But every December, the monarch reportedly struggles exactly 11 days before Christmas because she remembers the birthday of her late father, King George VI.

While it’s unlikely for King George VI to still be alive today at the age of 126 years old, the queen most likely pays tribute to her dad in private.

King George VI was born on Dec. 14, 1895, and he passed away at the age of 56, which is still relatively young. However, King George VI’s health declined due to his lung cancer diagnosis. But this isn’t what killed him.

The queen’s dad died in his sleep, and a doctor that checked his body revealed that he suffered from coronary thrombosis.

Her Majesty was in Kenya when she found out that her father had died and she immediately went back home to be with her family.

Since King George VI died 11 days before Christmas, the holiday season is always bittersweet for the queen. But one thing she looks forward to every December is her reunion with the royal family.

Before Christmas Day, the royals flock to Sandringham to prepare for their family’s festivities. On Christmas Eve, the royal exchange and open their presents, and they also enjoy a lavish meal.

On Christmas Day, the royals attend two church services – one in private and the other in public. As of late, it’s still unclear whether the royals will have a public church service due to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the United Kingdom.

This Christmas also marks the queen’s first holiday without her husband, Prince Philip, which is another reason why the monarch may be struggling. But according to sources, the queen still wants to host the royal family’s Christmas celebration in Sandringham because this is what her late husband would’ve wanted.

“Currently it is going ahead but obviously it will be under review right up until the last moment. It is Windsor Castle so it will be pretty easy to socially distance if needed. There is no way the Queen wants to let anything get in the way of a family event like this,” a source told The Sun.

Last year, the queen wasn’t able to have a big celebration because of COVID-19, so the royal family plans to make a comeback this year.