Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to decorate their home, enjoy games, and share a meal this holiday in California, steering away from royal traditions.

Prince Harry is cherishing his Sandringham Christmas memories as a “golden ticket,” as this year, also continuing the royal snub, they opted to remain in California. However, King Charles III “would have loved” to invite the Sussexes to just see their grandchildren, but he knew that wouldn’t go smooth for both.

Royal biographer Ingrid Seward recounted with the Mirror UK: “The present opening on Christmas Eve with his extended family and then church and traditional Christmas lunch the next day. Then the Boxing Day pheasant shoot and in between loads of party games and drinking.”

However, “Since his marriage to Meghan in 2018, Harry has only had Christmas at Sandringham once in December the same year. Instead, he has embraced the traditions of the ‘happy holidays’ favoured by his adopted country. The only relative he has in California is his mother-in-law, Doria and according to Meghan, she will be have been with them at their Montecito home.”

Sussexes’ Christmas celebrations are intimate

Meghan recently shared that for this Christmas, they would enjoy a festive meal, play games, and perhaps even have a sing-along with a guitar.

“They will have picked a tree from the rows upon rows of Christmas pines in one of the local stores. Their house will be decorated, and the yard (garden) strung with festive lights,” Ingrid told Mirror UK.

Despite the trend among wealthy Montecito residents to hire “interior designers to decorate their houses and trees”, Meghan is said to take a hands-on approach. Ingrid noted, “It would not look good if Meghan, who publicises herself as the all-American homemaker, was to hire someone to adorn their house and decorate their tree. She will have done it herself and made the gingerbread house as is traditional in America.”

The Royal biographer expressed, “Back at Sandringham it will have been the traditional Christmas UK style that Harry knows so well.” However, “King Charles would have loved the opportunity to see his grandchildren Archie and Lilibet,” he explained, “but he knew inviting Harry and Meghan would have been awkward for the rest of the family. So, there was no official invitation.”

“Harry and Meghan were invited for Christmas at Althorp with thrice-married Uncle Charles, now Earl Spencer, but have decided to stay in California.”