Prince Harry & Meghan Markle Are Expected to Skip Royal Family Christmas With His Memoir ‘Hanging Over Everything’

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, SheKnows may receive an affiliate commission.

With the holidays just around the corner, royal watchers have a keen interest in Prince Harry and Meghan Markle‘s Christmas plans. It’s a significant year because it marks the first season without Queen Elizabeth II and it’s now King Charles and Queen Camilla’s turn to host the royal Christmas at Sandringham. So, will the Sussexes show up? Well, it’s a bit complicated.

The royal family is “hoping that a big gathering can go ahead” after the last two years have seen a holiday COVID surge. If everything goes smoothly a source told the Daily Beast, then both Harry and Prince William “have a standing invitation” to attend the festivities. “The reality is that no-one is expecting Harry and Meghan to fly over, given that his book is hanging over everything,” they noted. Another insider confirmed to the Mail on Sunday that couple was “unlikely to attend.”

It would be rather awkward to sit around the fire, unwrapping gifts while the entire family wonders what Harry wrote about them in his memoir. They will find out soon enough as Spare hits bookshelves on Jan. 10, 2023. While the royal family Christmas traditions are expected to continue, Harry and Meghan will likely be forming their own holiday memories in the US.

Harry’s book release should make for an interesting start to 2023 with a big press push here and in the UK. It’s also going to set the tone for family relations for the year — will this be an opportunity to heal? Or will it fuel the family feud even more?

Before you go, click here to see the 100 best photos of the royal family from the past 20 years.