Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Won't Be Spending Christmas With the Royals — and They're Not Waiting for an Invite

It is, perhaps, the most loaded question in British festive culture right now: will Harry and Meghan be at Sandringham for Christmas? The answer, according to those close to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, is a resounding no — and the couple are not losing any sleep waiting for an invitation that will never arrive.

Sources familiar with the Sussexes' plans confirm that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will not join the Royal Family for the festive period this year. Instead, the couple are expected to spend the holidays in the United States, with their plans revolving entirely around Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland, who currently resides in California.

The couple have made clear, via friends, that the idea of a Sandringham reunion was never seriously on the table. "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," the same source told The Sunday Times, adding bluntly: "They also know they're not going to be invited, and they're not waiting for an invitation."

The Christmas news arrives against a backdrop of continuing family estrangement. Royal experts have swiftly dismissed reports suggesting Harry and Meghan were preparing to apologise to the Prince William in a bid to end their long-running feud with William and Catherine.

Emily Nash, Royal Editor at HELLO!, was unequivocal: "The story was saying that they were going to apologise and they were going to do everything they could to reconcile with William and Catherine. Unfortunately, it's just not true." She added that the story had been described to her as "nonsense," and characterised the overall situation plainly: "This is essentially a story about no change."

Since the Sussexes' return to the UK — understood to have begun at the end of August — Prince William has not met with his younger brother. The two are reported to have no contact with one another.

Meanwhile, a separate source paints a picture of a frustrated Harry growing increasingly impatient over what is described as radio silence from King Charles, 77, who is managing an ongoing cancer battle. According to reports, Harry moved back to the UK with Meghan and their children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, in part to be closer to his father.

One source suggests the chill may be connected to the publication of a memoir by Charles Spencer — Princess Diana's brother — whose book, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, is said to have enraged the King. Harry is reportedly keen to distance himself from the fallout, insisting he had no prior knowledge of the book, but has refused to cut ties with the Spencer family as a result.

Complicating matters further, Meghan is said to take a harder line than her husband on the subject of royal reconciliation. According to one account, she has urged Harry to let the matter drop entirely, telling him they do not need his family. Harry, however, is said to be determined to speak directly with his father before giving up.

Away from the family drama, both Sussexes are pressing ahead with their respective projects. Harry remains closely involved with the Invictus Games, with Birmingham set to host the event in July 2027. Meghan, meanwhile, continues to develop As Ever, her lifestyle brand offering products including food, wine and candles, and is planning collaborations with charitable organisations she worked alongside during her time as a working royal.

King Charles is understood to be personally open to spending more time with his grandchildren — Archie and Lilibet were welcomed to Highgrove House over the summer — even as the broader family picture remains complicated and unresolved. For now, it seems, the Sussexes' Christmas will be wherever Doria Ragland decides. And that, by all accounts, suits them just fine.