Harry and Meghan Markle ‘snubbed’ from King Charles’ 78th birthday celebrations
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have reportedly not been invited to King Charles’s 78th birthday celebrations on Saturday (November 14) or the Royal Family’s annual Christmas gathering at Sandringham, as the royal rift continues
There were reportedly a couple of notable absentees at the King’s birthday (Image: Getty)
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have apparently not received invitations to King Charles’s 78th birthday party on Saturday (November 14) or the Royal Family’s traditional Christmas celebrations at Sandringham. The Sussexes have suffered another royal setback after sources claimed the pair are being “ignored” by the Firm despite their surprising move back to Britain.
Even though they returned to the UK with their two youngsters, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, more than 11 weeks ago in August, the duo are still awaiting the royal reconciliation they’d seemingly anticipated. Today, as King Charles marks his 78th birthday with an intimate, private family event at Clarence House, his younger son and daughter-in-law are conspicuously missing from the invitation list.
Furthermore, the chilly welcome looks set to extend into the holiday period, with insiders from both Palace and Sussex camps confirming the couple won’t be asked to join senior royals for Christmas at Sandringham. According to the Daily Mail, the Palace seems to have implemented a firm “grey rock” approach – steering clear of any Sussex controversy while maintaining distance from the pair.
Palace sources maintain ‘the King loves all his children’ and have not ruled out a private meeting(Image: Getty)
A source familiar with the circumstances conceded that while there are aspirations for eventual reconciliation, the relationship remains “complex,” noting: “There are obvious reasons why that will not happen. Some people have strong feelings”. This comment is believed to reference the significant divide between Harry and his sibling, Prince William, stemming from the bombshell claims contained within Harry’s 2023 memoir, Spare.
Despite having returned to Britain – where Archie and Lilibet are approaching the conclusion of their inaugural term at an independent school – Harry and the King have apparently yet to hold a face-to-face meeting. Merely four weeks following their arrival, the Lord Chamberlain’s office released explicit instructions reminding staff that the Sussexes are “akin to private citizens” and ought to be regarded accordingly during official functions, reports the Express.
While the Sussex representatives responded at the time – maintaining they view themselves as “public figures” – the Palace declined to comment. An insider connected to Harry suggested the Duke remains untroubled by the dual rejection, asserting: “Harry is relaxed about it; he knows he is not invited.”
(Image: Getty)
Having initially intended to return to their California base in Montecito for the festive season, the pair have allegedly abandoned these arrangements. Rather, they’ll stay put in the Cotswolds, where Meghan’s mum, Doria Ragland, is expected to travel over to be with them.
A close pal revealed to the publication that Harry is “looking forward to a cold Christmas” and plans to send festive greetings to his father and brother through a phone or video call. “There is no estrangement going on. They are two brothers who will be having a different sort of Christmas,” the friend insisted. “Harry is really comfortable that he is not required to be in Sandringham.”
Speculation has also emerged about whether the Princess of Wales could offer an olive branch by welcoming the Sussexes to her yearly Together at Christmas carol concert at Westminster Abbey on December 11. While Kensington Palace announced yesterday that this year’s sixth annual service will focus on “love, kindness and caring for one another” – a message some royal observers have read as a gentle hint towards family healing – an invite for Harry and Meghan appears extremely doubtful.
Although Catherine has long been regarded as a royal mediator, sources suggest she stays steadfastly devoted to Prince William, and with tensions between the two brothers still deeply frozen, bringing the Sussexes into the mix at such a prominent televised royal occasion could risk stealing the spotlight completely. In the meantime, the Sussexes have started establishing a fresh pattern of royal-style engagements, featuring a combined appearance in Nottingham and a visit to the European Parliament in Brussels this week for the Lost Screen Partnership.
Palace insiders stress “the King loves all his children” and haven’t dismissed the possibility of a private encounter between Charles and Harry before year’s end, those close to the situation have acknowledged it falls well short of the regular monthly meetings at Highgrove the Duke’s team had originally anticipated.
