We Already Knew Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Were Skipping the Royal Family Christmas—But Now, Reportedly, We Know Why
Can’t blame them, honestly.


Marie Claire reported nearly a month ago that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle wouldn’t be making the trip to the U.K. to celebrate Christmas with the royal family at Sandringham—the first since the death of Her late Majesty this past September 8. But now, thanks to the reported release date of their Netflix docuseries, the Sussexes skipping Christmas makes even more sense: the series drops December 8, and likely won’t provide much fodder for collegial familial relations for the holiday, which is just a little over two weeks later.
Harry and Meghan have been invited to Christmas, reports The Mirror, “but it seems they will not be present as relations continue to sour.”
“The Queen’s death means that 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,” royal expert Angela Levin tells The Sun. “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.”
Harry and Meghan reportedly asked to delay the docuseries’ release until after Christmas, which Levin says is “very interesting.”
“It makes me feel that they could very well attack the monarchy again and be very nasty about the King despite the fact that he lost his mother,” she says.
Right behind the docuseries’ release is the release of Harry’s memoir, Spare, which will kick off 2023 with its January 10 drop—and it is yet to be seen whether that will help or hurt relations.
For his part, King Charles is shaking up some traditions at the royal family Sandringham Christmas: it will be less formal than in years past, The Daily Mail reports, and the family will not gather to watch the King’s Christmas broadcast together at 3 o’clock in the afternoon. Some aspects will remain the same, though—we can reportedly expect our traditional Christmas walk from the family to St. Mary Magdalene Church on the Sandringham estate, which, COVID-19 notwithstanding, they undertake annually before returning home to Sandringham for their Christmas meal.
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.

Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal, a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading, which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more.
-
Pajama Dressing 101 Is in Session With Jennifer Lawrence
She elevated a nightgown and slippers with a rare Prada bag.
-
We Did the Bag Math on Chanel’s Classic Flap
Does the house's latest move put your dream bag within reach?
-
Coco Gauff Reveals the Advice She Gave Herself After Losing the 2022 French Open—Which Helped Her Win This Year
The tennis champion speaks to editor-in-chief Nikki Ogunnaike for the 'Marie Claire' podcast "Nice Talk."
-
One Moment During Princess Diana and Prince Charles's Wedding Had Queen Elizabeth Calling Herself "Miss Piggy"
Who, moi?
-
Why Princess Diana Once "Canceled Lunch" at Kensington Palace to Take Prince William and Prince Harry to McDonald's
A former royal chef revealed the relatable reason Diana took her kids to the popular fast food chain.
-
Royal Chef Reveals Why Queen Elizabeth Was "Very Frugal" and Rarely Served "Extravagant" Meals at Buckingham Palace
Instead of "caviar and foie gras," simple "comfort food" reigned supreme.
-
Queen Elizabeth Was "Emphatically Not Interested in Fashion" But Used Her Clothing to Send Important Messages
"Nothing is left to chance," a courtier once said.
-
Prince William and Prince Harry Could Be "Tempted" to Secretly Bid on Their Mother's Outfits in New Auction
Who could blame them?
-
King Charles Is Set to Break Royal Tradition After News He's "Unlikely" to Follow in Queen Elizabeth's Footsteps
It will be a royal first.
-
Why King Charles Will Be "Forced" to Skip One Trooping the Colour Tradition in 2025 and "Leave It Behind Forever"
It's the end of an era.
-
How a "Last-Minute" Message Called an Urgent "Ceasefire" Between Prince Harry and Prince William After Queen Elizabeth Died
"They are better and stronger together than they are apart."