Prince Harry and Meghan Markle To Celebrate Christmas in Montecito Following Prince’s Reunion with King Charles
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have announced their plans to celebrate Christmas this year in Montecito, California with their children, six-year-old Prince Archie and four-year-old Princess Lilibet. This decision comes following the Duke of Sussex’s brief trip to Aspen for the World Snow Polo Championships in Colorado. The royal couple will be spending the festive season at home, avoiding travel overseas amid ongoing security concerns.
The royal family tradition continues as King Charles and the rest of the members are set to spend Christmas at Sandringham, the Norfolk estate where they exchange gag gifts on Christmas Eve and attend a public church service on Christmas morning. This update on the Sussexes’ Christmas plans comes three months after Prince Harry’s reunion with his father, King Charles, after a gap of 19 months. The meet-up, which took place in September during the Duke’s visit to the U.K. for the WellChild Awards, was seen as a positive step forward in their relationship.
While the encounter between Prince Harry, 41, and King Charles, 77, was a hopeful moment, insiders caution that true reconciliation within the royal family still requires time. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry had last spent Christmas with the royal family in 2017 and 2018, with their first festive season together occurring shortly after their engagement announcement in 2017.
In the Netflix docuseries “Harry & Meghan,” Meghan shared memories of her first Christmas at Sandringham in a heartwarming anecdote about chatting with Prince Philip during dinner. Following their wedding in May 2018, the couple returned to Sandringham for a traditional royal Christmas in December, where they were expecting their first child who was born in May 2019. The following year, in 2019, the Sussexes chose to spend the holidays privately in Canada as a new family with Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland.
In January 2020, Meghan and Prince Harry declared their decision to step back from their roles as working members of the royal family, eventually relocating to California and settling in Montecito later that year. The couple welcomed their daughter in June 2021, marking their first Christmas as a family of four last year. Meghan recently shared insights into their holiday celebrations in the Netflix special “With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration,” where she detailed their traditions, including cooking Christmas Eve gumbo and personalised Advent calendars for their children.
As the Duke and Duchess of Sussex prepare for a low-key Christmas in Montecito, their choice to spend time with close family reflects their commitment to creating special memories with their children. Despite being apart from the larger royal family gathering at Sandringham, the couple’s focus on family and tradition shines through in their holiday celebrations. Prince Harry and Meghan’s Christmas plans symbolise their unique approach to balancing their personal lives with royal expectations, emphasising the importance of creating their own traditions as a modern royal family.
By opting for a relaxed and intimate Christmas at home in California, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are setting the stage for a holiday season filled with love, laughter, and cherished moments with their young children. While their decision may diverge from royal norms, it underscores their commitment to prioritising family time and embracing their new chapter as a family of four. This Christmas in Montecito marks another milestone in the Sussexes’ journey as they navigate life outside traditional royal constraints and redefine what Christmas looks like for their growing family.