Latest signs of rift as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle clash over Christmas plans
Meghan Markle has not been back to the UK since attending the funeral of the late Queen in March, but Prince Harry is said to be keen to spend the festive season in Britain
Prince Harry is reportedly eager to meet up with his family in the UK this Christmas despite Meghan Markle's hesitation over security fears.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are said to have received an invite to join Charles Spencer for the festive season at Althorp, but it seems Meghan's concerns about their safety are putting a damper on their holiday plans.
"Harry is keen for the Sussexes to spend time in the UK this Christmas with family," a source close to the couple told the Express. "However, there are still concerns lingering over their security. Meghan has always shown a reluctance to travel to the United Kingdom and finds it quite a challenge with all that's been going on."
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It appears increasingly unlikely that Meghan will travel to the UK at Christmas, but if she does, it would mark her first significant visit since the late Queen's funeral in 2022. According to the source, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have yet to receive an invitation to the Royal Family's annual Christmas gathering at Sandringham, and it's unlikely they would accept even if one was offered.
The couple were noticeably absent from the Royal Family's Christmas celebration at Sandringham last year and were also excluded from the "summer summit" at Balmoral last month. Despite being snubbed by his own family, Prince Harry has found support from his late mother Princess Diana's family, the Spencers.
Prince Harry made a poignant visit to Althorp House, the ancestral home of the Spencers and where his mother, Princess Diana, is laid to rest during his UK trip in August, when he stayed with his uncle, Charles Spencer, the 9th Earl Spencer, following a memorial service for Diana's brother-in-law, Lord Robert Fellowes.
Meanwhile, Prince Harry has unexpectedly extended his current solo trip without Meghan, with a source revealing to the Express that although he was scheduled to return to California this weekend to be with Meghan and their children, he's now staying abroad for a few extra days.
The insider shared that Harry's likely to spend some "private time" in Johannesburg and Cape Town with family and friends. Additionally, there's talk of another visit that is not listed in his official schedule.
"It's all very cloak and dagger but Harry has extended his trip abroad by another few days," the source disclosed. "He'll likely go to Johannesburg and then to visit family and friends."
Friends of the Sussexes sparked concerns for their relationship earlier this week over the amount of time the couple were spending apart, with Prince Harry engaging in solo commitments across the US, UK, and Africa.
The Duke of Sussex reunited with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho this week and delivered a heartfelt speech about the work of his charity, Sentebale. Before jetting off to South Africa, he made a solo trip to London for the WellChild awards.
During his brief UK visit in August, Harry didn't meet up with either his father, King Charles, or his brother, Prince William. The Duke's UK visit followed another solo journey to New York City in the US a fortnight ago.
In New York, Harry attended several events during the UN General Assembly High-Level Week and Climate Week. He spoke at a panel event for The Diana Award, a charity established after Princess Diana's untimely death at age 36 in 1997.
At another event, the Clinton Global Initiative, Harry passionately addressed online harm and urged action against the "pervasive threat" the online world poses to children. While Harry has been travelling, Meghan is believed to have stayed at home in Montecito, California, with their two kids, Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 3.
However, the Duchess turned heads on Saturday when she attended the LA Children's Hospital gala in a stunning red Carolina Herrera dress. Harry's string of solo trips and the couple's growing distance from each other has sparked concerns among friends that the pair, who've been married for six years, are drifting apart.
The Sussexes have been contacted for their response.
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