The Duke of York has given an insight into the Royal Family's home life, admitting they are not allowed to play Monopoly.

The Duke was visiting Leeds Building Society's newly-refurbished Albion Street headquarters for a lunch to mark its revamp following the decision to keep its base in the centre of Leeds.

When Prince Andrew was presented with the property board game to mark his visit, he remarked: "We're not allowed to play Monopoly at home. It gets too vicious."

He did not reveal what they play in its place when other families use the Christmas holidays to sit down with a board game.

The Royals congregate at their Sandringham estate in Norfolk for the festivities, and last year the Duke disclosed that the Queen sometimes watches her own Christmas speech alone on Christmas Day to see if it comes across in the right way.

He said: "As children we were always encouraged after lunch to behave ourselves and wait for the Queen's message, because lunch would usually finish within 10 or 15 minutes of quarter to three, and three o'clock is the time we all sit down and watch it.''

Earlier this week it was reported the Queen gave all her household and office staff the same Christmas gift - a box of silver-plated drinks coasters.

The gifts were selected amid a mood of financial restraint at the palace, as the Queen attempts to limit royal expenditure during the economic crisis.

Royal staff have traditionally been able to select their own Christmas gifts, up to a value determined by their length of service, but in the past few years the Queen has given all her employees the same present.

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