Every family has its own holiday traditions, even the British royal family. The extended family gathers at the Sandringham estate to celebrate. They give one another silly gag gifts as presents.
Meghan Markle spent her first Christmas with the royal family in 2017. She was determined to impress and sought to give clever gifts. Prince William in particular was impressed with his present. This year Meghan, Prince Harry, Archie, and Lilibet spent Christmas away from the extended family due to their strained relationship.
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The 2020 book Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family by Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand revealed that in 2017 Meghan gave Prince William an engraved spoon with the words “cereal killer” on it. At the time, Meghan was newly engaged to Prince Harry and wanting to impress her future in-laws. She stressed about getting the perfect gifts and fitting in.
"Meghan’s biggest challenge was finding the perfect novelty gifts to amuse her new extended family," the book claims. "At least one of her gifts was a huge hit — a spoon for William that had ‘cereal killer’ embossed on the shallow bowl end of the utensil."
Meghan fit in nicely that first family Christmas. She impressed her future in-laws. Her sense of humor went over well.
Unfortunately, the relationship between the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and some members of the family on Prince Harry’s side are not what they were that first Christmas they spent together. Three years after Meghan and Harry decided to step away from royal life, family relations remain tense. Meghan and Harry did not spend Christmas at Sandringham this year. It is doubtful that gifts were exchanged.
In December, the Sussexes released a new docuseries on Netflix about their marriage, further complicating royal relations. The series Harry and Meghan was first released on December 8, 2022. Netflix sums up the series as “from their courtship to their exit from royal life, Harry and Meghan share their complex journey in their own words in this docuseries.”
Meghan and Harry saw this docuseries as a way to tell their own story, which they feel might have gotten lost in the drama of the situation. "When the stakes are this high, doesn't it make more sense to hear the story from us?" Meghan stated on the series.
Although things may look bleak for the royal family’s interpersonal relationships, there is one sign of hope. The Daily Mail reported that King Charles will invite Harry and Meghan to his coronation on May 6, 2023. Many perceive this gesture as a sort of olive branch.
“Harry is his son and His Majesty will always love him. While things are difficult at the moment, the door will always be left ajar,” a source close to the king told Daily Mail.
Not everyone in the royal family is happy about this invitation. One insider stated when asked if they thought the Sussexes would attend: “It would be utterly hypocritical but then again not entirely unsurprising if they did, let’s just say.” Time will tell if these family wounds can be healed and relationships can be restored.
Check out our Meghan Markle page for all the latest news about Meghan, Prince Harry, and their growing family.
