Meghan Markle and Prince Harry will spend Christmas with Doria Ragland instead of the Royal Family - here's why
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are planning their festive season ahead of time - and according to insiders, they've already dismissed the idea of a royal reunion around the Christmas tree.
Speaking to PEOPLE this week, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have made arrangements to spend 25 December with the latter's mother, Doria Ragland, over in the US.
The couple have, therefore, turned down the rest of the royals, who famously spend the special day together at Sandringham each year.
The news comes just weeks after the Meghan and Harry returned to the UK with their children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, following six years living in California.
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The pair's return - which has also seen Archie and Lilibet starting school in Britain - has prompted plenty of questions about what the future holds for the family, particularly when it comes to Harry's relationship with his relatives.
King Charles III previously reiterated that Harry and Meghan would remain non-working royals following their return, underlining the distinction between their private lives and official royal duties.
Despite this, Harry has resumed public appearances in Britain, including attending the WellChild Awards in September, continuing his longstanding relationship with the charity.
However, a return to the UK does not necessarily mean a return to royal life as it once was - and this is especially the case when it comes to Christmas.
Harry and Meghan have not joined the family for Christmas since 2018, when Meghan was pregnant with Archie.
And according to reports, this year, they've already made plans to spend both Thanksgiving and Christmas in the US with the Duchess' mother, Doria, who still lives in the 'Golden State'.
Their reported plans would mean missing out on the Royal Family's traditional Christmas gathering at Sandringham - King Charles and Queen Camilla's Norfolk estate.
So, while Harry, 41, and 45-year-old Meghan's return to Britain has certainly raised eyebrows, it appears a festive reunion with the wider Royal Family is not on the cards for now.
The decision comes amid continued tensions between Harry and his family, particularly his older brother, Prince William - to whom he's not spoken to since fleeing the UK - and sister-in-law, Princess Catherine.
Earlier this month, an insider close to the Sussexes reportedly dismissed claims that the couple were planning to apologise to the Prince and Princess of Wales as 'nonsense', according to PEOPLE.
The reports followed speculation that Harry and Meghan were looking to address past tensions and move towards reconciliation.
Harry has previously spoken openly about his desire to repair family relationships. In a BBC interview last year, he said he wanted reconciliation and saw little point in continuing to fight.
Although Harry has reportedly expressed a desire to reconcile with his family, the relationship between the brothers remains strained.
Royal historian Amanda Foreman previously described the situation as a 'very, very cold war', suggesting that any prospect of reconciliation remains complicated.
"But in a cold war situation, you still have to turn up to the Olympics," she pointed out back in September.
Topics: Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, UK News, Royal Family, Christmas
Rhianna Benson