Harry and Meghan's Christmas Plans Revealed ― Is a Royal Reunion off the Table?
King Charles may be disappointed as Prince Harry skips U.K. Christmas again, despite their recent reunion and hopes of mending ties.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are closing out the year far from royal tradition, opting instead for a familiar Californian Christmas. Just like the last couple of years, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will spend the holidays in Montecito with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. The decision comes three months after Harry had a brief meeting with his father, King Charles, a moment that reignited speculation about a possible Christmas return. For now, however, putting the reconciliation talks to rest, the Sussexes are staying put in California.
The couple’s plan means Harry will wrap up his short pre-holiday trip to Aspen, where he stepped in for a friend at the World Snow Polo Championships. According to HELLO!, the Duke will return to Montecito in time for Christmas, with no overseas travel scheduled. While this is the plan of the Sussexes, the rest of the royal family are expected to uphold their long-standing Sandringham traditions, which include exchanging gag gifts on Christmas Eve and walking to St. Mary Magdalene Church on Christmas morning. They will also greet their well-wishers, ending the holiday on a more traditional and warmer note.
Amid the festivities, Harry’s absence is notable, given his September meeting with the King, their first in-person meeting in 19 months. The sit-down took place while the Duke was in the UK for the WellChild Awards and came months after Charles released a statement about his cancer diagnosis in February 2024. The meeting was seen as significant, with Queen Elizabeth II’s former spokeswoman Ailsa Anderson telling PEOPLE at the time, “It’s a massive step in the right direction. It’s a building of trust.” However, despite Harry’s long-standing security concerns now under review, hopes for a Christmas return appear increasingly unlikely.
The Sussexes last spent Christmas with the royal family in 2018, shortly after their wedding, making 2025 the seventh consecutive year they will have skipped the holiday at Sandringham. The decision may come as a disappointment for King Charles, as royal expert Amanda Matta had previously noted that he had hoped for a Christmas reunion with his son. Speaking to Fox News Digital, she said that the monarch “has always felt he’s left the door open emotionally.” She added, “I doubt an invitation for Prince Harry would be off the table entirely should the king really want to be with his birth family.”
The desire for a Christmas reunion was not limited to the King alone. Harry himself has reportedly been eager to spend time with his father due to his ongoing health concerns. “Harry is on tenterhooks waiting to get the go-ahead to visit King Charles in England at Christmas and is adamant that he needs to be with his father any chance he gets," an insider told Closer. But Harry’s alleged feud with Prince William is complicating the fragile progress being made behind the scenes. So, for Harry and the wider royal family, Christmas will unfold on opposite sides of the Atlantic.
