Harry and Meghan to Skip Christmas in the UK — But a Source Claims He'll Reach Out to King Charles
Christmas inside the royal family has always carried meaning beyond tradition, and this year appears no different. According to a report by journalist Rob Shuter, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are expected to remain in California rather than join the rest of the family in Sandringham for the holidays, yet a symbolic gesture may still take place. Sources close to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex claim that the couple plans to place a call to King Charles on Christmas Day. This signals that while physical distance still remains between the Sussexes and the wider family, communication with the monarch has not fully been severed.
Shuter quoted a royal insider on his Substack, who told him, “They won’t be there in person, but they will be in touch.” The same source emphasized the emotional weight behind the call, adding, “It’s important to Harry that his father hears from him on Christmas.” The call is said to be especially important for Harry, who in the past has openly spoken about his concern for his father’s health. While it remains unclear whether the call will ultimately take place, what is expected is that Harry and his family will celebrate the festivities in Montecito. This will mark their seventh consecutive Christmas away from the royal family, having last spent the holiday with them in the UK in 2018.
While Charles is said to receive a call, the same courtesy does not appear to be extended elsewhere. Markle remains estranged from her father, Thomas Markle Sr., and multiple reports suggest that the Duchess has no plans to call him during the festive season. “She won’t even call him,” one source told Shuter. “She knows where he is. She has the information. She’s chosen not to engage directly.” Another insider added, “Meghan talks publicly about the holidays being about family — but for her, that definition is very selective.” The 81-year-old is currently recovering in the Philippines following emergency surgery. While the two share a complicated relationship, Thomas Markle has said he hopes to reconcile with his daughter.
Speaking publicly from his hospital bed earlier this month, Thomas Markle said he was ‘open to reconciling’ with his daughter and expressed a desire to meet his grandchildren, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. "It might be nice to meet her husband too," he said, as reported by The Express. The contrast between Harry’s willingness to maintain contact with his father and Markle’s continued distance from hers has become increasingly visible. Based on this, royal biographer Tom Bower has argued that these unresolved fractures have left the couple increasingly ‘isolated.’
He noted, “Meghan isn't reconciled with her own family, and she never wants to come back to Britain, so her relationships with both families act against Harry's own instinctive interests. The result is they are left in a very isolated place at Christmas.” Any hopes of broader reconciliation with the royal family have also been limited, but reports suggest Charles is keen to mend ties with his son. For now, however, that desire extends no further than cautious gestures, leaving the wider rift very much unresolved.