As the Royal Family gears up for their customary Christmas festivities at Sandringham, it appears Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will once again not be attending. Insiders suggest that the Sussexes have been excluded from the guest list, opting instead to spend the holiday season in California. This comes as the rift between Harry and his family continues unabated. The couple, having stepped back from their senior royal roles in 2020, plans to celebrate at home with their children, Archie and Lilibet, as well as Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland.

This marks yet another year that the Sussexes will not be present at Sandringham, a tradition they last participated in back in 2018 when Meghan was expecting Archie. Since then, they have embraced what sources describe as a “California Christmas,” a trend they are expected to continue this year. Their holiday plans are likely to mirror scenes from Meghan’s newly released Netflix special, “With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration,” which offers a glimpse into the holiday traditions she is establishing with her family.

In the special’s trailer, Meghan expresses her fondness for the holiday period, stating, “I love the holiday season. It’s about finding time to connect with the people we love, embracing traditions and making new ones.” She further reflects on the customs she’s nurturing, saying, “Hopefully we have these for quite a long time. A tradition has to have a beginning.”

On the other side of the Atlantic, King Charles is reportedly planning a Christmas that insiders describe as profoundly significant. Amid ongoing cancer treatment, a source revealed to US Weekly that the monarch desires “a special last Christmas,” highlighting the emotional weight of this year’s celebrations.

Meanwhile, King Charles is preparing for what insiders have described as a deeply meaningful Christmas. With his cancer treatment ongoing, a source told US Weekly that the monarch “wants a special last Christmas”.

They added that “his health isn’t the best” and that his team are “taking it day by day.” Despite this, the King intends to carry out all traditional duties, including walking to church on the Sandringham estate and delivering his annual Christmas address.

One insider said: “Nothing would stop Charles from doing that. He will do everything expected of him, and more.”

While the royal household braces for a poignant festive season, the Sussexes are leaning into a very different kind of celebration.

A source told People that any external drama “never creates friction between them” and that Harry and Meghan are “fully aligned and always operate as a team”.

Meghan reportedly treats outside criticism as “just noise,” though Harry is said to take criticism of his wife more personally.

Any hopes of a meaningful thaw after Harry’s September meeting with King Charles appear to have faded.

The pair saw each other for the first time in 19 months when Harry rushed to London following the King’s cancer diagnosis in February 2024.

But reports say “that’s as far as it has gone”, and the brief moment of optimism has stalled, with little sign of progress since.

Relations with Prince William remain even frostier. US Weekly reported new concerns over “whether or not trust can be rebuilt,” particularly after Harry and Meghan were photographed attending Kris Jenner’s star-packed 70th birthday party in November.

One insider noted that “if they are going to go out and look like Hollywood players, it’s at odds with what the palace and royal family members would do,” adding that the likelihood of a Sandringham invitation was “slim”.