Prince Harry stepped away from traditional royal festivities for a more intimate, low-key Christmas celebration with Meghan Markle and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. A royal expert recently shared information about how the Duke and Duchess of Sussex likely spent the holiday, marking it in true American style at their Montecito home.
talking to the mirror, Royal biographer Ingrid Seward noted that Harry, who once appreciated royal Christmas traditions, has since embraced his new life in California. “Harry used to view Christmas at Sandringham with the royal family as the ‘golden ticket,’” Seward explained.
He recalled the festive routine Harry enjoyed with his family, which included opening Christmas Eve presents, church services, the traditional Christmas lunch and Boxing Day pheasant hunt, plus plenty of party games and drinking.
However, since marrying Meghan in 2018, the duke’s Christmas traditions have evolved. Seward noted that Harry has only spent one Christmas at Sandringham since his marriage, which took place in 2018. “Instead, he has embraced the ‘happy holiday’ traditions favored by his adopted country.” she said.
The expert also mentioned that the only relative Harry has in California is his mother-in-law, Doria Ragland, who was likely with them for the Christmas celebrations. The Sussex family is expected to have celebrated Christmas at their Montecito residence, where Meghan, a self-proclaimed housewife, likely took charge of the Christmas decorations.
Seward added: “They will have chosen a tree among rows and rows of Christmas pine trees in one of the local shops. Your house will be decorated and the patio (garden) adorned with festive lights.” While wealthy Montecito residents often hire interior designers to handle Christmas decorations, Seward believes Meghan would have decorated the house herself.
“It wouldn’t look good if Meghan, who promotes herself as an all-American housewife, hired someone to decorate her house and decorate her tree,” he explained. “She will have done it herself and made the gingerbread house, as is traditional in the United States.”
This low-key, down-to-earth approach to Christmas celebrations highlights the Sussexes’ acceptance of their new life in California, far from the pomp of royal tradition.