Prince Harry, Meghan Markle ‘delusional’ over royal Christmas invite
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle may have thawed relations with King Charles but a seat back at the royal Christmas table is still a way off.
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will not be spending Christmas with the royal family, despite suggestions a thawing of relations with King Charles meant that the Sussexes’ wanted to head to Sandringham for the festive season.
Respected royal commentator Chris Ship has revealed that the controversial couple won’t be on the guest list, despite numbers being increased with more members of Queen Camilla’s family joining the festivities.
It also comes amid reports Harry is expected to have a call with Charles this week.
Mr Ship revealed that members of Harry’s team had told certain media outlets that he was planning to call his father, Charles, for his 75th birthday.
Team Sussex were also said to have leaked information that the King’s grandchildren, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, who live in California, recorded video messages for their grandfather.
Mr Ship said that while Buckingham declined to comment on private conversations, the Palace suggested the Sussexes wanted it made public there had been an easing of tensions between the monarch and Harry.
“But any improvement in that father-son relationship does not mean an invite to Christmas at Sandringham for the Sussexes this year – and, in any event, Harry and brother, Prince William, are still not on speaking terms,” Mr Ship said on ITV in the UK.
A friend of William’s told The Daily Beast that the Prince of Wales would be strongly opposed to having Christmas with Harry and Meghan.
“The whole idea of them coming for Christmas was typically narcissistic and delusional,” the friend said.
“There is no way William or Kate would want them there after what he wrote in his book. Would you want to sit down for a slap-up lunch with someone who had basically called you an a****** in public? It would be a total humiliation. William and Kate are never, ever going to sign up for that, and Charles wouldn’t ask them to.”
Mr Ship reported that the Queen’s family would join the royals for Christmas, prompting a move from Sandringham’s dining room to the larger ballroom.
“The Queen has invited her children and grandchildren this year which is different from previous years,” a royal insider told Mr Ship.
Camilla has two children and five grandchildren.
The additional members of the Queen’s family will mean the Christmas table will need a bigger room to accommodate the new guests.
“The addition of The Queen’s family means extra space is needed,” said an insider.
The Queen’s family include her son Tom Parker Bowles and daughter Laura Lopes as well as her sister Annabel Elliot who is one of the “Queen’s Companions” rather than the traditional “Ladies-in-Waiting”.
Ms Elliot, who is close to her older sister and accompanied her throughout this year’s coronation, is also helping to renovate many of the rooms on the Sandringham Estate, Mr Ship said.
Originally published as Prince Harry, Meghan Markle ‘delusional’ over royal Christmas invite
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