Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were once deeply upset by what they saw as a pointed Christmas snub from the royal family, a moment that reportedly stayed with them long after.
The couple have spent Christmas away from the royals since 2019. That same year, they were said to be offended by the way they were left out of the late Queen Elizabeth II’s annual Christmas broadcast.
During the televised speech, filmed in the Green Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace, the Queen was surrounded by framed photographs. Viewers could see images of Prince William, Catherine and their children, alongside pictures of Charles III and Camilla, Prince Philip, and a black-and-white portrait of George VI. Missing from the display were Harry, Meghan Markle and their son Archie.
The omission was highlighted by authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand in their book Finding Freedom. They wrote that viewers did not have to look far to notice who had been left out, describing the absence of the Sussex family as striking.
That Christmas, Harry and Meghan Markle spent the holiday in Canada with Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland. Not long after, they stepped down as working royals and moved to the United States.
According to the book, palace sources suggested the photographs reflected the direct line of succession. For Harry and Meghan Markle, however, the moment was taken very differently. The authors claim the couple saw it as yet another signal that they needed to carve out a future on their own terms.
