Zara and Mike Tindall were also in attendance, as well as Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank, and Princess Beatrice with her husband Eduardo Mapelli Mozzi. Other family members invited to the festive lunch included Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, and Peter Phillips. The Christmas lunch is traditionally a private family gathering that occurs in the days leading up to Christmas. It includes members of the extended royal family who may not be joining the king at Sandringham for the main Christmas celebrations.
Fans of the royal family were pleased to catch a glimpse of Lady Louise, who is currently studying English at St Andrews University in Scotland. She has made only a few public appearances this year, with her last one being at the king's coronation in May, as she did not participate in the Trooping the Colour ceremony the following month.
Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that Prince Harry and Meghan were not invited to the royal family Christmas at Sandringham. Recent reports also suggest that Prince Harry and his close friend Hugh Grenier did not extend an invitation to the Sussexes for Grenier's upcoming wedding. This exclusion is seen by some as indicative of the strained relationship between Harry, Meghan, and other members of the royal family.
According to an unnamed source, it is evident that allegiances are being formed within the royal family, and Harry believes that Prince William has played a role in certain snubs and social exclusions. The source added that while there are still some people who are willing to meet with Harry and Meghan when they are in the UK, those who remain loyal to the monarchy have distanced themselves from the couple.
The source expressed that nobody wants to risk upsetting Charles and the Prince and Princess of Wales. They hold considerable influence, and some insiders find the current state of affairs sad, given their fond memories of how Harry used to be and Meghan's initial positive impact. However, due to the controversies and negativity surrounding the couple, many have chosen to distance themselves from them.
Earlier this month, the couple faced renewed scrutiny when a book by Scobie was released, containing critical remarks about the Royals. In the Dutch version of the book, it was revealed that Princess Catherine and King Charles were the two individuals alleged to have commented about Archie's skin tone before his birth. Despite the public backlash, Harry and Meghan have chosen not to defend Charles and Kate, maintaining their silence, which has further strained their relationship with the monarchy, their allies, and the public.
The source disclosed that Megan has told Harry that whoever has turned against him isn't a true friend, and Harry agrees. However, he still grapples with the reality of being such an unpopular figure. Their unpopularity has allegedly reached a point where they haven't been invited to the UK for Christmas, indicating that the British aristocracy has distanced themselves from the couple.
