The couple continues to be excluded from the family traditions organized by Buckingham Palace
2025 has been a complex year for the British royal family, marked by the health problems of both monarchs and the future queen. Furthermore, there has also been an increasingly noticeable estrangement between the Windsors and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. King Charles III and Kate Middleton faced cancer diagnoses at the beginning of the year, while Queen Camilla dealt with pneumonia stemming from lung problems a few weeks ago. However, these challenges have not managed to bridge the gap between Prince Harry and his family, which seems to have deepened even further.
Since their move to California in 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have maintained a strained relationship with the royal family. Despite the difficult times the Windsors have faced this year, communication between the two sides is at its lowest point. According to sources close to the prince, speaking to Express, King Charles III and Harry have had no significant contact since February, when the Duke of Sussex traveled to England for a brief visit.
This Christmas snub appears to be definitive: Harry and Meghan have not been invited to any official or private events, as reported by The List. The rift became evident when their inner circle confirmed that Harry's calls to the King have gone unanswered. According to People magazine, Harry has always intended to inquire about his father's health, but his efforts have been fruitless.
Far from uniting the family, these circumstances have done nothing to build bridges between Harry and the Windsors. Even Prince William, Harry's older brother, has taken a firm stance. “William is already making plans for when he becomes king. He doesn’t see a future for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in the British royal family. The feeling is that allowing Harry and Meghan to return to the forefront as senior members of the royal family is a bad decision. They will have to resign themselves once and for all to being on the margins of the royal family indefinitely,” the source indicates.
A Christmas Marked by Absence and Distance
Since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex celebrated Christmas separately in 2019, the holidays have highlighted the rift in the family relationship. Although the separation was initially attributed to logistical reasons and the pandemic, the estrangement has become a constant year after year. Not even the birth of their children, Archie and Lilibet, has brought about a significant rapprochement between the Sussexes and the Windsors.
This year, Christmas at Buckingham Palace will be celebrated in an atmosphere that blends hope for the recovery of the health of its older members with the sadness of Harry and Meghan’s absence. Despite this, the British royal family plans to maintain its traditions at Sandringham, including Christmas Mass, the traditional walk, and the usual family dinner, although with fewer people at the table.
