It’s approaching the most wonderful time of the year, as they say - and opening up recently in an interview, giving a rare insight into family life, Meghan Markle revealed sweetly that Christmas with the Sussexes get better ‘every year’ as their two children children Archie, five, and three year old Lilibet, get older. But for Prince Harry and his wife, , the season may also throw up some mixed feelings.
There is no doubt that the couple, who have been married for six years are very happy with their idyllic home set-up in Montecito, California. But Christmas, a time where families traditionally come together to spend quality time together, could prove bittersweet for them.
A source claimed: “For Harry. it reminds him that he doesn’t have any of his side of the family to celebrate with. The kids won’t be seeing their cousins, and that was one of his favourite things growing up – all the cousins playing together at Sandringham. It may well even hurt seeing all the royals together, going to church and just enjoying each other’s company”.
Former Suits actress Meghan, 43, finds it equally ‘tough’, they maintain - if for different reasons. For Meghan - whose mum, doting grandmother Doria Ragland, will surely be hands-on for their festivities - there will be one glaring absence over the festive period - her father, Thomas Markle, who she has been estranged from since 2018. “Meghan only has her mum, as there’s almost zero chance of a reconciliation between her and her dad.”
Meghan’s half-sister recently alleged that their father Thomas, 80, who has had at least one documented heart attack in 2018 and a stroke in 2022, is in increasingly poor health, warning her estranged sibling to reconcile with him before it's “too late”. But the Duchess of Sussex, as she stated sadly in her Netflix series, ended her relationship with her father before her Windsor wedding to Prince Harry, after he was caught staging paparazzi photographs in exchange for cash.
Harry’s mind will, understandably, turn to the family he is not seeing - gathering together as they do each year in Sandringham, including his father, King Charles and sister-in-law Kate, who he was once so close to, who have both been battling cancer this year. The last time the Sussexes celebrated Christmas in the UK was in 2018, when Meghan was pregnant with their first child, Prince Archie.
Harry is bound to see images, as the rest of the world will, of elder brother William and wife Kate, joining the King, Camilla and other family on their traditional walk to Church on Christmas morning, for a service at the Church of St Mary Magdalene - one Harry and Meghan once attended with them, when relations were very different.
For someone who was very close growing up to his own cousins, Harry could well regret the fact that his own little ones have next to no relationship with their British counterparts - won’t be playing games with them and excitedly comparing presents, as he would have done as a young boy.
The couple stepped back as working royals in 2020, leaving to create a new life for themselves across the Atlantic - and subsequently publicly criticised the Royals, including claiming that the Firm could have done more to support Meghan during her time in Britain. Yet though they chose to carve out a new life for themselves in California, Christmas - a joyous time of year which Harry and Meghan both love, is often ‘bittersweet’ for them.
The source added, “They both really wish that they could have all their families together and have a huge Christmas but they know that will never happen. So they have to make new memories and traditions with their children and those close to them.”
And it seems the couple are determined to do just that.. Explaining in her recent interview that the young family’s Thanksgiving festivities are 'always low-key', Meghan spoke about how much she appreciates being able to spend the holidays with her mother Doria, 68, who lives close by.
Tellingly, Meghan underlined the importance of making 'room at your table for your friends who don't have family', as she added, "We're always making sure we have something to do. Like any other family, you spend time having a great meal and then what do you do? Play games, all the same stuff, someone brings a guitar - fun." The mum-of-two went on to say it was important to both she and Harry that their brood experience the ‘magic’ of traditions like leaving out "carrots for the reindeer."
Our source adds: “Christmas is Meghan’s favourite time of year, she loves seeing everyone over for Thanksgiving, and then they are in full on countdown mode for Christmas. This year feels special because both children fully ‘get it' - they’ve been talking about Santa and Christmas for weeks.”
They continue, giving an insight into the preparations, “They always wait until Thanksgiving is over before putting up their tree and decorations but they will go OTT! The kids will have their own tree to decorate, while the main tree will be a bit more colour coordinated! They will have lots of people over for the holidays - Doria will even move in for a bit. Harry is also very excited and loves seeing how excited Archie and Lili are getting. He sometimes can’t believe how lucky he is to have them.”
Mixed in with a tinge of sadness at the loved ones they won’t be seeing, Harry and Meghan will, no doubt, be counting their blessings this Christmas as they join in on their little ones' innocent excitement.
