Meghan Markle and Prince Harry show true feelings as they're erased from amazing royal Christmas amid King's 'convenient' move
Christmas is a time of deep-rooted traditions for the Royal Family, from their walk to the Christmas Day service at Sandringham to the King's speech. Yet, this year marked a departure from the norm as King Charles chose to record his Christmas message from Fitzrovia Chapel in London, not Buckingham Palace.
The shift in setting wasn't the only difference noticed by Royal watchers; the annual broadcast was missing the usual display of family photographs in the background. These images have often sparked discussions about the Royal Family dynamics, particularly whether Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were featured. This year, however, King Charles sidestepped potential speculation by opting for the neutral setting of Fitzrovia Chapel, which showcased just a festive tree.
Speaking exclusively to OK!, former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond said that while the chapel was a "convenient" location that circumvented photo analysis, it also held significance related to the King's appreciation for healthcare workers, reports the Mirror.
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"I think the choice of the chapel was specifically to relate the King’s message to his gratitude for all that the health service does. But obviously it was convenient that it avoided analysis of any photos in the background," Jennie commented. "However neither of his two previous Christmas messages have featured any photos either. So I don’t think anything can be made of this."
Since stepping back as senior royals in 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been living a blissful life in Montecito, California for nearly five years. They are doting parents to their two adorable children, Prince Archie, five, and Princess Lilibet, three. The couple has been actively involved in various causes close to their hearts and working on projects including the Archewell Foundation and Archewell Productions. Jennie believes that Prince Harry and Meghan wouldn't have been "surprised" not to be part of the Royal family's festive gathering at Sandringham.
"Harry and Meghan have chosen a life separate from the rest of the royal family, and as time goes by, I think Harry becomes more and more set on making a happy, settled life in California with his wife and children," she explained. "It may be that he and the King exchanged some form of message at Christmas time, we simply don’t know and it is right that it should remain private. So I don’t think they would have been in the least surprised that they didn’t feature in any way in the celebrations at Sandringham."
