Inadequate UK security could deny Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s kids a chance to enjoy a very royal Christmas with extended family. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have notably been absent from the royal family’s annual Christmas gathering at Sandringham since their step back from royal duties. The gathering traditionally gives the family a chance to enjoy the festivities away from their busy, closely monitored royal life. However, the Sussexes’ fallout with the rest of the royals has created a level of tension, so much so that their presence in this traditional holiday fest has become a fragment of a very distant past.
Recently, the royal family extended an olive branch to Prince Harry by publicly paying him tribute on his 40th birthday. This heightened talks of an imminent royal reconciliation and the possibility of Price Harry returning to the UK to reunite with his estranged family for good. While this has yet to happen, Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and their kids received an open offer from the Duke’s maternal family to spend Christmas with them in the UK this year.
Speaking to The Express, an insider claimed that the late Princess Diana’s brother Charles Spencer invited Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and their kids to join the Christmas festivities in Althorp. However, whether or not the Sussexes would take him up on it remains unknown at this time. The insider divulged,
“Charles [Spencer] has invited Harry, Meghan, and the children to Althorp this Christmas. It’s far too early to say whether they will take him up on it, but the offer is there if they want it.”
While the offer to enjoy the holidays with the Spencers in Althorp remains on the table, the royal family has yet to extend an invitation to Sandriham to Harry and Meghan. With no invitation on the horizon, this would become the fifth year in a stretch the estranged prince would spend the traditional Christmas away from the royal fold. The insider claimed that even if the royal family invited the Sussexes over, they most likely would decline. Another source added,
“Harry and Meghan are not going to spend Christmas with the Spencers or the royal family this year. It’s just not an option with the children at the moment due to what’s been going on with their security.”
One major factor holding back Prince Harry and Meghan Markle from spending Christmas in the UK even with the open invitation is their security concerns. The Duke’s ages-long fight to secure UK police protection despite quitting royal duties has yet to yield a favorable result. With these lingering security challenges, the chances of the Duke visiting the UK with his wife and kids remain slim, holiday traditions or not.
