Meghan Markle’s Hesitancy and Security Concerns Keep Sussexes Stateside for the Holidays
This year, Prince Harry will reportedly miss Christmas at Sandringham, marking yet another year away from the royal family’s traditional holiday celebrations. The Duke of Sussex is said to be weighing his options between spending the festive season with his family in the UK or staying in the US with Meghan Markle and their children.
Royal expert Emily Andrews explains that Harry is eager to celebrate Christmas in the UK with his family, but Meghan prefers to remain in the US. The decision comes as Harry faces a complex emotional pull—having not spent Christmas with his royal relatives for six years, he may feel the weight of continued separation from the Windsor family.
The Sandringham Christmas gathering, a long-standing family tradition, includes church attendance on Christmas Day and festivities with royal relatives. Harry and Meghan last joined in 2019, spending subsequent years privately before stepping back from royal duties. Harry’s uncle, Charles Spencer, has extended an invitation to celebrate at Althorp House in Northamptonshire, yet this doesn’t quite replicate the traditional royal holiday.
Concerns over security and public reaction continue to influence Meghan’s reluctance to return to the UK. Royal commentator Ingrid Seward suggests Meghan remains wary, especially given her perception of public disapproval. “I don’t imagine she would want to return to a country where she feels so universally disliked,” Seward notes, underscoring security concerns as a major obstacle.
For Harry and Meghan’s children, the decision adds another layer of distance from their royal cousins. Seward reflects, “The children are probably intrigued by their cousins, though they wouldn’t remember them well.”
While the couple navigates a delicate family dynamic, experts believe the Sussexes may ultimately choose a quieter holiday in California, further underscoring the evolving separation from their royal roots.
