Another year, another Sandringham Christmas missed by Prince Harry, who last celebrated alongside the royal family back in 2018 following his marriage to Meghan Markle
08:00, 24 Dec 2025Updated 08:11, 24 Dec 2025
Harry and Meghan are not thought to have received an invitation to Sandringham (Image: BACKGRID)
Christmas has looked very different for Prince Harry in recent years. There was a time when he would have been surrounded by his loved ones at the big royal celebrations at Sandringham.
More recently, however, Harry has enjoyed a considerably quieter time at home in California with wife Meghan Markle and their children Archie and Lilibet , many thousands of miles away from his family.
Harry has made no secret of his desire to reunite with his father the King, and there were whispers he was hoping for a Sandringham invitation this year. That seems highly unlikely, however, given his poor relations with many members of the Firm, including Prince William, and his claims that the UK is ‘too dangerous’ to visit with his family.
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The royals will once again gather at Sandringham to celebrate Christmas together, hosted by King Charles(Image: ©Francis Dias/Newspix International)
While the Duke is no doubt excited to spend Christmas at home with his young family, he may well be feeling a pang of regret for what could have been.
Speaking to the Mirror ahead of Christmas last year, royal biographer Ingrid Seward noted some of the events Harry would be missing out included opening presents on Christmas eve, attending church before a traditional Christmas lunch, and a Boxing Day pheasant shoot.
She added: “Since his marriage to Meghan in 2018, Harry has only had Christmas at Sandringham once in December the same year. Instead, he has embraced the traditions of the ‘happy holidays’ favoured by his adopted country.”
Harry and Meghan will likely be joined by her mother, Doria Ragland(Image: Getty Images Ms. Foundation for)
Noting that the only other ‘family’ Harry has in California is his mother-in-law Doria Ragland – who is once again expected to celebrate Christmas with the Sussexes – it’s a very different scene from Sandringham.
“They [Harry and Meghan] will have picked a tree from the rows upon rows of Christmas pines in one of the local stores. Their house will be decorated, and the yard (garden) strung with festive lights. The wealthy residents of Montecito hire interior designers to decorate their houses and trees to perfection,” Ingrid continued.
“It would not look good if Meghan who publicises herself as the all-American homemaker was to hire someone to adorn their house and decorate their tree. She will have done it herself and made the gingerbread house as is traditional in America.”
Ingrid added: “Back at Sandringham it will have been the traditional Christmas UK style that Harry knows so well. King Charles would have loved the opportunity to see his grandchildren Archie and Lilibet, but he knew inviting Harry and Meghan would have been awkward for the rest of the family. So, there was no official invitation.
Harry and Meghan’s children have not spent a Christmas in England(Image: meghan/Instagram)
“Harry and Meghan were invited for Christmas at Althorp with thrice-married Uncle Charles, now Earl Spencer, but have decided to stay in California. Meghan says it’s important for her that Archie and Lilibet can have ‘connective memories’ of Thanksgiving and Christmas at home and enjoy the traditions like putting out “carrots for the reindeer’.”
It follows reports that Meghan might have inadvertently scuppered Harry’s hopes of a Sandringham Christmas due to allegations she violated an agreement made with the Royal Family.
When Harry and Meghan stepped down as senior members of the British Royal Family in January 2020, they became financially independent and agreed not to be working members of the family anymore. They also agreed not to use their ‘Royal Highness’ titles, and while they retained their Duke and Duchess titles, Buckingham Palace instructed them not to use them publicly for commercial purposes.
Meghan has come under fire for continually using her Duchess of Sussex title – despite quitting royal life(Image: Getty Images for Fortune Media)
Meghan, however, has been known to still use her royal cypher – and just recently she raised eyebrows again when it was revealed in a Harper’s Bazaar interview that she was introduced as the “Duchess of Sussex” by a house manager, despite there being only two people in the room.
As British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard told Fox News Digital, “This is not protocol, let alone royal protocol. It’s bizarre and highlights that Meghan attaches enormous importance to her royal status.
“Meghan will cling to her Duchess of Sussex title because it gives her a sense of importance. The title remains useful for Meghan’s business activities, particularly in the United States. It gets people talking and keeps her in the limelight.”
British journalist Jane Moore also slammed Meghan for exploiting her Royal ties for personal benefit, penning in The Sun , “The Sussexes supposedly ‘Megxited’ from the UK five years ago for a life of ‘financial independence’, yet they continue to rinse their royal connections for their own commercial gain.”