In his Christmas Day message aired on BBC One, King Charles III delivered a speech that seemed to carry a notable omission, marking another blow to his relationship with his younger son, Prince Harry.
The 75-year-old monarch praised the 'beloved' royals, highlighting Buckingham Palace and acknowledging the charitable endeavors of Prince William, Princess Kate, and their three children in 2023.
The absence of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex from the King's Christmas speech is perceived as a continuation of the strained relationship between King Charles and Prince William and Harry. This tension heightened following Harry and Meghan's exit from the royal family, as well as their high-profile interview, Docuseries, and Harry's memoir 'Spare' in January.
“At a time of increasingly tragic conflict around the World, I pray that we can also do all in our power to protect each other. ”
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) December 25, 2023
📺 Today, in his annual Christmas Broadcast, His Majesty has spoken of compassion for others. Watch the broadcast in full on YouTube:… pic.twitter.com/ZTN4BjeTod
The recent book 'Endgame' by royal author Omid Scobie reignited the feud between the Sussexes and the royal family. However, King Charles made no reference to Harry, Meghan, and their children in his festive address to the nation.
This exclusion follows a pattern, as Harry, Meghan, and their children were also noticeably absent from the King's speech last year, the first following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.
While the rest of the Royal clan gathers traditionally at Sandringham for Christmas, Harry and Meghan are said to be spending the holiday at their Montecito home. The couple hasn't celebrated Christmas at Sandringham since 2018, choosing to mark the occasion in the United States, where they now reside with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
