Prince William let slip some more details about his Christmas plans today as he handed out Christmas presents to children and families at a festive party for 1st Battalion Mercian Regiment in Wiltshire.

The Prince of Wales, who is colonel-in-chief of the regiment, met soldiers and their families at Picton Barracks, Bulford Camp, in Wiltshire this afternoon during a lunch, where he spoke about what his own Christmas will entail. William chatted to ten tables of servicemen and women and their children, revealing that he himself was not ready for the big day.

The future king said he hopes to enjoy long walks with the family dog as he is set to spend the Christmas period in Norfolk with wife Princess Kate, 42, and their three children Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, nine, and Prince Louis, six.

The prince also spoke about how he will join 45 other family members, including his father King Charles for lunch at Sandringham on Christmas Day, which he said the family spend “all in one room” but “normally spread out”.

He could be heard saying: “Am I ready for Christmas? No, no way am I ready.”

While Christmas was a big subject of conversation, the prince also found himself talking about football with other football fans, some of whom support the same team as the future King – Aston Villa.

The dad-of-three was heard talking about the game as he announced he will be watching Villa’s Champions League tie away to RB Leipzig from home in Windsor, rather than at the match.

He said: “I was trying to get to the game but have got a lot of things going on.”

Before leaving the visit, the prince could be heard talking to a number of children about their Christmas plans and was also handed some gifts from children, including ten-year-old Isobelle McNeil and her younger brother Hunter, 5.

The siblings handed William a Father Christmas hat present and a card written to his three children.

Their mum Fiona Dewar McNeil said afterwards: “William asked what Father Christmas was going to bring for him and Hunter said he was going to get a big Tyrannosaurus Rex. He said ‘I hope all your dreams come true’.”

A teenager at the lunch, Dylan Potter, also shared how William confessed how much he likes watching movies in his spare time.

Dylan, 14, said: “I asked what does a prince do for fun? He said he likes watching movies and hanging out with his children but because he is over 40 finds fun hard to come by.”

The prince also told families how he hopes that they will have a “quiet” Christmas before departing from the event, which he joked felt like he was “speed dating” as he moved around the tables to chat to people present.