Meghan Markle and Prince Harry to Spend Christmas with Doria Ragland, Not Royal Family, After U.K. Move

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex would likely travel to California, where Meghan’s mother lives, for their first Christmas since moving back to the U.K.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend the 2024 ESPY Awards in Hollywood, California.

NEED TO KNOW

• According to PEOPLE, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry intend to celebrate Christmas with her mother, Doria Ragland.
• After reportedly returning to the U.K. in August, the couple would likely head to California to spend the holiday with Doria.
• The arrangement would mean a separate Christmas from the royal family, whose customary celebrations take place at King Charles and Queen Camilla’s Sandringham estate in Norfolk.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry intend to celebrate Christmas with Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, according to PEOPLE.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex reportedly returned to the U.K. in August, where their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, have begun attending school. They would likely travel to California for Christmas, although the location will depend on Doria’s preference.

The couple also plans to spend Thanksgiving with her, with arrangements for that celebration similarly guided by where she would like to celebrate.

These plans would mean Harry and Meghan spending Christmas away from the royal family, who traditionally gather at King Charles’ Sandringham estate in Norfolk.

A source speaking to The Sunday Times claimed the Sussexes consider a royal reunion uncomfortable and complicated. The source added that they do not expect an invitation and are making their own holiday arrangements.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry attend Christmas Day services with the royal family in December 2017.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s most recent Christmas celebration with the royal family was in 2018. They attended the customary service at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham alongside Queen Elizabeth, Prince William and Kate Middleton. Meghan, then expecting Archie, was photographed walking beside Kate on the way to church.

The account describes the Sussexes as comfortable with their life in the U.K., while acknowledging that reconciliation with Harry’s family remains a work in progress.

Harry, Meghan, Archie and Lilibet reportedly met King Charles and Queen Camilla for tea during a July visit to Britain. They are not believed to have met the King again since that gathering, although Harry has continued speaking with his father by telephone.

Relations with Prince William and Kate remain strained, with the brothers reportedly having no direct communication.

Speaking to PEOPLE in September, royal historian Amanda Foreman characterized the tensions as having shifted from open conflict to a colder, more distant standoff. Her comparison suggested that shared public occasions can still require the brothers to appear despite their unresolved differences.

Doria Ragland, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend the Ms. Foundation Women of Vision Awards on May 16, 2023, in New York City

Harry has expressed a desire to reconcile with his brother, but those close to William and Kate say the wounds behind the estrangement remain deep.

“It was very hard on them, and I wouldn’t blame William for being cautious,” one close palace source said.

Meanwhile, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are preparing for several engagements in Nottingham, England, on Thursday, October 15. According to the report, this will be their first joint programme of official visits since returning to the U.K. in August.

Their itinerary includes a food bank visit, where Meghan is expected to reconnect with women she collaborated with at London’s Hubb Community Kitchen in 2018. During her time as a working royal, she helped the group produce a cookbook to raise funds for the kitchen.

The Sussexes also plan to visit the Community Recording Studio, an organization that helps young people affected by violence. Harry has supported its work for years and visited the studio during a solo trip to Nottingham last year.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle when they visited Nottingham together in December 2017

The couple’s itinerary also includes Epic Partners, an organization that helps young people through sports and mentoring programmes.

Nottingham has a personal connection for Harry and Meghan: it was the destination of their first joint public visit following their engagement announcement in 2017.

According to the report, the Sussexes have started making more public appearances after focusing on helping Archie and Lilibet adjust to their new home and school.

On October 7, Meghan reportedly met her friend Malala Yousafzai for afternoon tea at Claridge’s in London’s Mayfair district. Their meeting came ahead of International Day of the Girl on October 11. To mark the occasion, Meghan is donating profits from jam and tea sales through her lifestyle brand, As Ever, to the Malala Fund, which supports girls’ education.

Prince Harry also attended a Gallagher PREM rugby fixture between Leicester Tigers and Gloucester alongside his cousin, George McCorquodale. According to the report, some spectators booed when the Duke briefly appeared on the stadium’s large screen.