A royal expert tells the Mirror why this Christmas could be full of mixed emotions for Prince Harry and why the family have been sending mixed messages amid the royal feud
Prince Harry won’t be spending Christmas with his father and brother, for the seventh year in a row(Image: Getty Images)
This Christmas will be the seventh year that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been missing from the royal family festivities as the family feud rumbles on. The younger royal brother, 41, was once a key figure in the Sandringham celebrations, including the traditional walk to the St Mary Magdalene Church service, but has been absent from the family occasion since 2018.
According to former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond, Harry likely has conflicted feelings about the holiday as he will be determined to make it special for his and Meghan’s young children, Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4. “He’s on record as saying he misses elements of his UK life, including the banter, pub culture, friends, and family gatherings,” she said,
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The couple were once part of the royal family’s Christmas day traditions at Sandringham(Image: Getty Images)
She continued, “And he says he still has a deep love for Britain so the images of his family making that familiar walk to Sandringham Church might, indeed, pull at his heartstrings. But maybe not for long. When he’s enjoying Christmas in the warm Californian sunshine, with his wife, children and mother-in-law, the attraction of an often grey, damp Norfolk might fade a little.”
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are expected to spend the Christmas period in Montecito with Meghan’s mum and the children’s grandmother, Doria Ragland, who lives a few hours’ drive away from their Los Angeles family home.
Former Suits actress Meghan, 44, was in full Christmas mode earlier this month with the release of her With Love Holiday Special on Netflix.
Viewers saw her deliver her top festive wrapping and cooking tips, as well as what she called “small moments [that] create the energy you want for the holidays”, such as writing hand-written notes for Archie and Lilibet’s homemade advent calendar.
Meghan made Archie and Lilibet their own advent calendars
She also revealed she likes to add personal touches to her Christmas tree, saying, “There’s just something about it that in one area in your house you’re able to really encapsulate your family story, really feel the passage of time and the different chapters of your life through the ornaments.”
Her sentiment about the importance of family served as another reminder about just how fractured Harry’s relationship is with his own UK relatives, in particular Prince William, who is expected to spend this Christmas day with Kate and their children with his father at Sandringham.
“I imagine that for King Charles there will always be a sadness that both his boys and their children aren’t with him at this special time of year. His two daughters in law often speak about love, kindness and the importance of family – and yet William and Harry remain as far apart as ever.”
The brothers once shared a close bond, but have been estranged for a number of years now(Image: AFP/Getty Images)
“But I don’t imagine Harry would readily swap the relaxed, chilled out California celebration for the formality of a royal Christmas. So, there might be a moment of nostalgia, but I think Harry will happily throw himself into an American style family day with his little ones.”
Elsewhere, Meghan’s dad Thomas Markle Sr is continuing to recover after his emergency limb amputation operation in a Philippines hospital.
Following conflicting reports about Meghan attempting to make contact with the former TV lighting director after learning of his situation, a spokesperson for the Sussexes confirmed last week that a letter from the Duchess was “now safely in [Thomas’s] hands” thanks to the “support of reliable and trusted contacts”.