The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's relationship with the King, and extended Royal Family, is fractured.
But Christmas is a time of peace and goodwill, and it looks like Prince Harry and his father have started the journey to heal the wounds.
A royal source close to Prince Harry previously said he and his wife, Meghan, spoke to King Charles on the telephone to wish him a happy 75th Birthday last month.
It has also been reported that Harry and Meghan regularly send updates to the King about his grandchildren and they would be “happy to accept” an invite from His Majesty to spend Christmas at Sandringham.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's relationship with the King, and extended Royal Family, is fractured.
Reuters
There is still a long way to go, however, before that invite becomes a reality.
Prince Harry is not on speaking terms with his brother, Prince William, who he accused of physically attacking him in his memoir ‘Spare’, published in January this year.
Kensington Palace has not commented on the allegations, and the barrage of distracting and noisy headlines from the Sussexes are thought to frustrate courtiers.
To add to the drama, royal biographer Omid Scobie’s new book ‘Endgame’ has only deepened the divide, despite claiming Harry and Meghan had no involvement.
The original Dutch version, now pulled from shelves due to an “error” in the manuscript sent to the translators, named two members of the Royal Family who Meghan had previously accused of questioning what colour Prince Archie’s skin would be when he was born.
Royal biographer Omid Scobie’s new book ‘Endgame’ has only deepened the divide, despite claiming Harry and Meghan had no involvement.
ITV
The King and the Princess of Wales maintained a dignified silence following the publication of their names, which stemmed from Meghan’s interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021.
If Harry and Meghan did attend a Sandringham family Christmas, one can only imagine an intense scene from Downton Abbey where bitter looks are shot across the dinner table like daggers.
Members of the Royal Family could also be worried that anything they say with Harry and Meghan in earshot could end up being broadcast to the world on Netflix, or published in another bestselling memoir.
A Sandringham Christmas is the Royal Family’s opportunity to relax in private, and having Harry and Meghan there could make things difficult.
However, Harry and Meghan appear to be distancing themselves from their past media appearances and may have no plans to reveal more royal secrets.
Harry and Meghan appear to be distancing themselves from their past media appearances and may have no plans to reveal more royal secrets.
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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex may well be using the holiday season to rework their brand.
PA
Opinion polls on both sides of the Atlantic show the couple are among the least popular royals after a six-part Netflix series, bombshell memoir, and a “near catastrophic car chase” through the gridlocked streets of New York.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex may well be using the holiday season to rework their brand to make them less of a target for ridicule and satire - the fallout from Family Guy and South Park parodies could still be hurting.
Despite all the hurt, the King still very much loves his youngest son and I suspect he would like to spend more time with him in his later years.
I predict a Sandringham Christmas involving the Duke and Duchess of Sussex may well be on the cards one day, but 2023 is likely far too soon.
