Meghan Markle and Prince Harry will not be staying in the same house as Prince William and Kate Middleton for Christmas, even though the two couples are spending the holiday together.
“Harry and Meghan will be staying at the main house (the ‘big house’) for Christmas, not Anmer [Hall],” a source explained to Us Weekly.
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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will join Queen Elizabeth II and the rest of the Royal Family at the Queen’s Sandringham residence. However, Prince William, Middleton and their three children will be staying at their Norfolk home, located about two miles from the Sandringham home.
This arrangement is different from last year, when the then-engaged Markle and Harry were invited to stay with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at Anmer Hall.
The Royal Family’s Christmas will be under a bigger microscope this year since it follows the rumors of tension between William and Middleton and Harry and Markle. However, a source told The Daily Mail it would be “unusual” if William and Middleton invited Harry and Markle to stay with them after their marriage.
The Queen’s 20,000-acre estate is expected to be packed with extended members of the Royal Family.
According to The Daily Mail, at least 30 members of the Queen’s family will arrive on Sunday.
Christmas is a day filled with a rigid schedule for the Royal Family. It all starts on Christmas Eve at 4 p.m., when the family opens their presents. Then, they have a formal dinner before heading to bed.
On Christmas morning, they will attend services at St. Mary Magdelene Church and will gather for the Queen’s annual Christmas speech afterwards. The Royal Family’s journey to the church is the only time the public sees them on Christmas Day.
There was one big part of the Christmas schedule changed. William and Middleton will spend all of Christmas Day with the Queen, instead of part of their time with the Middleton family. Previously, they alternated between the Royal Family and Middleton’s family, but since the Queen and Prince Philip are both in their 90s, the Duke of Cambridge wants to spent as much time as possible with his grandmother.
This month also saw Markle’s estranged father Thomas and half-sister Samantha ramping up their criticism of the former Suits star. The Mirror published a Christmas card to Markle, begging her to “end the rift” with their father.
“Life is short and you know Dad is wonderful. Please give him joy in his last years by showing that you love him,” Samantha wrote. “The time is NOW. Please think about this.”
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