On Thursday, as Americans celebrated Thanksgiving, Buckingham Palace confirmed King Charles III, Camilla, Queen Consort, and the Royal Family’s Christmas plan.
According to the spokesperson, the new Sovereign and his royal relatives will return to the tradition attached to Queen Elizabeth II — a lavish Christmas at Sandringham.
King Charles will be joined by Prince William, his wife, Kate Middleton, and their young children — Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
The Queen Consort and the King will also host his siblings (minus Prince Andrew, who is viewed as a stain) and many nephews and nieces.
Buckingham Palace said the King and his wife, Camilla, Queen Consort, are thrilled to have the holiday festivities at Sandringham.
The statement did not mention Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and their young children, Archie and Lilibet Diana, being present at the Royal Family Christmas gathering on the Norfolk estate.
A close friend of King Charles has confirmed that he did invite his son and daughter-in-law to spend the holidays with him in the UK.
Prince Harry and Markle’s close associates disclosed to The Daily Mail that The Duke and Duchess of Sussex had declined the invite.
Having his invitation rejected might be a good thing for King Charles III and the rest of the Royal Family.
According to royal experts with sources inside the Palace, Markle and Prince Harry’s decision to remain in their California mansion implies there will be less pressure on King Charles and the rest of the royals.
Actually, the pressure has been lifted on both sides. Markle and Prince Harry no longer have to try to get along with King Charles now that Queen Elizabeth is not here.
Biographer Angela Levin told The Sun: “The Queen’s death means there won’t be as much pressure to have all of the family together – which is good because it seems Harry and Meghan won’t be present.”
She added that Markle and Prince Harry’s decision to skip the trip is a relief for the Royal Family.
She shared: “I’m sure Catherine and William will be there by the King and Queen’s side for part of the holiday. Harry and Meghan aren’t coming, which I think will be a huge relief for the rest of the family. The family will want to make it a very positive day after the Queen’s death, and I think the Sussexes’ presence would most certainly dampen that.”
The royal commentator believes the main reason Prince Harry and Markle publicly rejected King Charles’s Christmas olive branch, or Douglas fir branch is the Netflix series that will be out on December 8.
She claimed: “Interestingly, they tried, especially Harry, very, very hard to get it out after Christmas. It makes me feel that they could very well attack the monarchy again and be very nasty about the King even though he lost his mother. It’s been said that they’re not coming, but I also think about what the documentary is like whether or not they would be invited at all.”
Prince Harry and Markle’s refusal to spend time with the Royal Family will create confusion for their children, who will grow up with little contact with their cousins and grandfather.
She concluded by saying: “It’s up to the Sussexes on whether they want their children to know what their father’s family is like – but also it could be a case where the royals don’t want them there after the documentary. On one level, it looks like Harry and Meghan want their kids to know – but on another, they don’t. They want titles for them, but they don’t want them to mix with the very people who can give them to them.”
It is believed that the decision is soul-crushing for King Charles, who would love to see his English/American grandchildren more than anything.
