THE RUNDOWN
- Meghan Markle is “doing well” in the U.K. but still “misses home,” a source said.
- The insider spoke about the Duchess of Sussex’s adjustment to her new temporary home, along with her excitement for her family’s holiday plans.
- A separate source discussed why she won’t be making many public appearances.
Meghan Markle stepped back into public life today, joining Prince Harry in Nottingham for visits with Community Recording Studio and the Himmah Hub food bank. A day before, she was photographed getting lunch with her wedding reception hairstylist George Northwood in London.
As her U.K. life takes shape, Meghan is “doing well,” a source close to her and Prince Harry told People this week. However, California, and her loved ones who remain there, are still on her mind. The couple lived in Montecito for about six years before temporarily relocating to the U.K. in late August.
“She’s keeping busy, as she always does, and staying in close contact with her friends in Montecito,” the insider explained. “She does miss home—and her mom [Doria Ragland, who lives in Los Angeles]. They’re planning to come back for the holidays. Meghan’s looking forward to seeing her friends and making plans with them already.”
Meghan also isn’t planning to do many engagements. A source told The Telegraph earlier this week that she and Harry “have different professional priorities. Prince Harry’s is his philanthropic work and public service. Her focus is on her family and children, followed by her business, followed by rebooting her acting career. Her public appearances will be relatively rare. She is reading a lot of scripts at the moment. If she has time left after all of that, she will do some charity work. But she’s not a working royal, her day isn’t organized around a program pulled together by a private secretary. She’s a full-time mom and entrepreneur, and that alone takes up a lot of time and work.”
People reported over the weekend that Meghan, Harry, and their kids, Archie and Lilibet, won’t be with the royals during Christmas. Instead, they will be spending the holidays with Ragland.
The Times also reported the news, with a source telling the British outlet, “They won’t be having Christmas with the royal family. How could that even work? They know it would be too awkward and too difficult. They also know they’re not going to be invited, and they’re not waiting for an invitation.”
When Meghan and Harry’s rep confirmed their move back to the U.K., they characterized it as temporary and noted the couple would be keeping their Montecito house.
“On the heels of a wonderful trip with family and friends this summer, Harry and Meghan have decided to spend an extended period in the U.K. this autumn,” the spokesperson told The New York Times in a statement. “They are excited to have their children spend more time in the country that’s such an important part of their family’s story.”
In late August, a source told People that Meghan and Harry made the choice together to move back to Harry’s home country, describing it as a decision “taken as a family.”
A Montecito insider added, “Meghan feels very fortunate that they’re able to give Archie and Lilibet the opportunity to experience both worlds.”