Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have reportedly accepted that they will not spend Christmas with the Royal Family this year, with a friend claiming the couple are neither expecting an invitation to Sandringham nor waiting for one to arrive.
According to The Sunday Times, a friend of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex believes a festive reunion with King Charles and the wider family would be difficult given the strained relationships that remain unresolved.
The Royal Family traditionally gathers at Sandringham in Norfolk for Christmas, with the celebrations including a church service on Christmas morning and appearances before members of the public.
The annual gathering is one of the monarchy’s most familiar festive traditions, bringing senior royals together for a holiday that combines private family time with carefully observed public moments.
However, the Sussexes’ reported plans appear to be taking a different direction as the festive season approaches, despite reports that they have returned to the UK for an extended period.
The friend told the newspaper that Harry and Meghan “won’t be having Christmas with the royal family”, questioning how such an arrangement could work given the current circumstances.
“They know it would be too awkward and too difficult,” the source reportedly added, suggesting that the couple understand they are unlikely to receive an invitation.
The same source claimed the Sussexes were not waiting for an invitation, portraying their position as an acceptance that Christmas with the Royal Family was unlikely to happen this year.
Instead, Harry and Meghan are reportedly considering spending the festive period with Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, although it remains unclear whether the celebrations would take place in the UK or California.
The possibility of a quieter family Christmas would allow the couple to spend time with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, away from the intense attention that often surrounds royal gatherings.
Their plans come amid continuing questions about the relationship between Harry and his father, King Charles, and whether the monarch will have an opportunity to spend time with his grandchildren.
According to the supplied report, Charles has not yet met Archie and Lilibet alongside their parents since the Sussexes’ return to the UK.
That absence has added to speculation about whether a wider family reconciliation could take place before the end of the year, although no confirmed meeting has been announced.
The reports about Christmas plans remain based on comments attributed to a friend rather than an official statement from Harry or Meghan, and the couple have not publicly confirmed where they will spend the holidays.
For now, the prospect of the Sussexes joining the traditional Sandringham gathering appears uncertain, with the latest account suggesting they may be preparing for a separate celebration.
Whether relations improve in time for a future family occasion remains to be seen, but this year’s Christmas plans appear unlikely to provide the long-awaited royal reunion some observers have been anticipating.
