Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Are Reportedly Arguing About Where to Spend Christmas
The 2023 Christmas countdown has begun. December 25 is just weeks away, and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reportedly haven’t solidified their plans yet. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are deciding between spending the holidays in England or at home in Montecito, California.
Harry and Meghan ‘can’t agree’ on what to do for Christmas 2023
Royal Christmas or California Christmas is what it comes down to for Harry and Meghan. The pair, who have lived stateside since 2020, are trying to decide whether or not to spend Christmas in England, an insider told Heat Magazine (via Express).
Harry and Meghan are having “increasingly more frequent rows, the closer Christmas gets” because, the insider claimed, they have different feelings on the matter.
Harry seems to be leaning toward a royal family Christmas as he’s trying to “persuade Meghan to swallow her pride.”
“[They could] avoid less welcoming types like the Prince and Princess of Wales,” Prince William and Kate Middleton, the insider explained. “Plus, it would be a coup from a PR standpoint because they’d maintain those visible links with the monarchy.”
“And, let’s face it, that’s what makes them marketable,” they added. “But they just can’t agree. And, the closer Christmas gets, the more rows they’re having over it.”
Not only that, but “Harry respects Meghan’s hard line about putting the royal family in the rear-view mirror. He’s assured her that’s not caving in or backing down.”
It’s unlikely Harry and Meghan would decline a 2023 Christmas invite from King Charles
There’s a tiny bit of hope Harry, Meghan, and their two children, Prince Archie, 4, and Princess Lilibet, 2, could spend Christmas with their fellow royals.
While security is said to be a must were they to make the trip, friends of the Sussexes have claimed the pair want to take a step toward changing things with Harry’s father, King Charles III. To that end, spending Christmas together would be a small yet meaningful move toward reconciliation.
“I can’t imagine the Sussexes would decline an invitation to spend time with His Majesty,” a friend told the Sunday Times. “As of yet, there have not been any invitations for the holidays.”
Sources also told the outlet a “formal invitation” would be necessary for Harry and Meghan to be able to stay at a “protected property.”
Meanwhile, William’s said to be fine with the idea of not seeing Harry during the 2023 holiday season. There’s also the added complication of Omid Scobie’s Endgame book, which has seen the names of royals who made comments about Prince Archie’s skin color revealed in a publishing error alongside other bombshell claims.
Harry and Meghan last spent Christmas with the royal family in 2018
It’s been a while since Harry and Meghan celebrated Christmas the royal family way. 2018, the year they got married, marked the last time they joined in on the festivities at Sandringham with their fellow royals.
Harry and Meghan walked to church, per royal tradition, alongside William, Kate, King Charles, and other royals. They also opened presents on Christmas Eve, another royal family tradition.
Prior to that, the couple spent 2017 with the royal family. Meghan, as Harry’s then-fiancée, joined in on the celebration and traditions, taking part in the walk to St. Mary Magdalene Church and gag gifts.
Meghan later recounted the experience in the couple’s 2022 Netflix docuseries, saying she had an “amazing” time amid the “constant movement and energy and fun” of a large family.
“I remember so vividly the first Christmas at Sandringham,” the now-42-year-old recalled. “Calling my mom [Doria Ragland], and she’s like, ‘How’s it going?’ And I said, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s amazing. It’s just like a big family like I always wanted.’”
Since then, Harry and Meghan have spent Christmas this side of the Atlantic Ocean.
