Prince Harry and Meghan intend to spend Christmas back in the US, a friend of the couple has claimed.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are planning to return to their home in Montecito, California for the festive period, when the Royal Family typically come together at the Sandringham estate in Norfolk.
The family moved back to the UK just over a month ago, although remain non-working royals.
A friend of Meghan’s told the Mirror that she, Harry and the children would likely join Meghan’s mother Doria Zagland, 70, for Christmas this year.
They added that the optics of the Sussexes joining the rest of the royal family for the festivities would likely be too difficult.
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‘How could that even work? They know it would be too awkward and too difficult’, they said.
Other sources have said King was not intending to invite the couple, nor were they ‘waiting for an invitation’ to join the family at Sandringham.
For now, Harry and Meghan are keeping a low profile, although the pair are due to visit Nottingham on Thursday in their first engagement since returning to Britain.
They are expected to visit a community recording studio which Harry has been to before, most recently in 2025.
The couple were reportedly ‘surprised’ after receiving a letter last month sent on the King’s instruction insisted they should be viewed as ‘private citizens’ on their return to the UK.
The Duke and Duchess have both expressed their happiness about returning to the UK despite the public disagreements over their security arrangements.
On Sunday, Meghan posted a picture on Instagram of herself and Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai having afternoon tea to mark International Day of the Girl.
In the caption, she said the net proceeds from sales of her lifestyle brand’s jams and teas today would be sent to support the Malala Fund, a non-profit advocating for girls’ education.
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