Meghan Markle and Prince Harry snub the Queen, likely to spend Archie's first Christmas with Meghan's mother Doria Ragland instead
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have shared with the Queen that they will not spend their son Archie's first Christmas with her at Sandringham.
It is very possible that the Sussexes could stay at home in Windsor or travel overseas to meet Meghan's mother Doria Ragland after a difficult year. The couple is hoping to be able to "recharge their batteries". According to royal watchers, this move could make tensions between the pair and royal family worse.
The Sussexes are all set to take a six-week break after Sunday when 35-year-old Prince Harry attends a Royal Albert Hall Event. The pair will mostly be spending Thanksgiving with Meghan's mother. It had been reported that the couple would return to Sandringham for Christmas but they informed the Queen, 93, that they won't be joining her as well as Prince Philip, 98.
As reported by The Sun, a source shared, "They need some time away to recharge and decide their plans for next year". According to royal biographer Ingrid Seward, "Christmas at Sandringham can be quite stressful so perhaps they don't want to go with Archie at such a young age. Having said that, Sandringham has played host to many many children through the ages and is well set up for them".
"I think it's sad they don't want to be part of the family gathering, particularly now the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh are in their dotage," Seward added. Prince Harry has always spent Christmas at the Queen's Sandringham Palace.
"It does seem to be nothing to do with Archie and to do with their own personal feelings," Seward shared. Prince Harry's brother Prince William, his wife Kate Middleton, and their three children will be at Sandringham.