Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will spend the Christmas holidays in the UK but will not be part of the royal family’s traditional gathering at Sandringham, Daily Mail reports. According to sources close to the Sussexes and palace sources, the couple are aware that they will not receive an invitation.
“Harry is relaxed about it, he knows he is not invited,” a friend of the prince tells the publication. Buckingham Palace has declined to comment, saying that this concerns “private family arrangements”. A source familiar with the situation describes the relationship as still “complicated”.
The Sussexes will also not attend the traditional Christmas walk to St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham. According to the report, they will not be invited to the small private family gathering at Clarence House marking King Charles’s 78th birthday either.
Holidays in the Cotswolds Instead of California
Harry and Meghan had initially planned to return to their estate in Montecito and spend the holidays with American friends and Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland. The plan has now changed and they will remain in the UK, with Doria travelling to join them.
“Harry says he is really looking forward to a cold Christmas,” a close associate tells Daily Mail. In this case, the description refers not only to the weather but also to the distance between his family and the other members of the royal family.
Harry, Meghan and their children Archie and Lilibet have been in the UK for just over 11 weeks. The children are nearing the end of their first term at a British private school, while their parents have held joint engagements in Nottingham and Brussels.
However, the family still does not have a permanent home of its own. They are currently living in a second property on an estate on the border between Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire, provided by a wealthy friend. According to sources, the search for a house of their own in the Cotswolds is continuing.
Their Status Remains Unchanged
The distance between the Sussexes and the palace deepened in September, when the Lord Chamberlain, Lord Benyon, circulated a letter drawn up on the King’s instructions. It stated that Harry and Meghan’s status was not changing and that they should be treated as private citizens with commercial and charitable interests. The Independent reported that the letter had been sent to government institutions, the military and representatives of the Crown across the country.
The Sussexes’ team objected that Harry and Meghan are public figures and had not been given sufficient time to respond before the document was circulated. According to Daily Mail, the palace has since remained silent on the disputes surrounding their status and security.
The report also notes that since their return, Harry and Meghan have still not met King Charles in person, despite their stated desire for reconciliation. Harry appeared alone at a Remembrance Day service in Brackley, Northamptonshire, wearing his military medals, but this did not lead to any change in the palace’s holiday plans.
Sources: dailymail.com, independent.co.uk