Meghan Markle And Prince Harry To Skip Christmas With Ailing Queen

This is going to be a difficult Christmas for Queen Elizabeth, not only because it will be her first without her husband of 73 years, but also because she has been suffering from health issues.

Despite this, her grandson Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle will still not be joining the 95-year-old monarch for the holidays.

Meghan And Harry Snub The Queen

Multiple royal sources told Page Six that while an invitation has been extended to Harry and Meghan to come spend Christmas with the Queen, they have declined it. 

“There’s a lot that goes into the logistics and the planning of the family Christmas, so of course, staff know that Harry and Meghan are not coming,” one royal source said. “If they were, they would have communicated it to their family by now. But this is Her Majesty’s first Christmas without her husband, so one would have hoped they would want to be with her.”

Prince Philip passed away in April at the age of 99, just two months short of his 100th birthday.

Related: Prince Harry In ‘Panic Mode’ About His Grandmother Queen Elizabeth’s Health

Meghan And Harry’s Reasoning

It is believed that Meghan and Harry don’t want to spend Christmas with the Queen because of the headlines they would make for flying back to the U.K. from California. 

“I think everyone understands there will be a frenzy when they both come back to the UK, but they need to rip the [Band-Aid] off and get on with it,” the insider explained.

The Queen typically spends Christmas at Sandringham, her country estate, with her family, who attend a church service with her. 

The Queen’s Health Issues

This comes after a difficult few weeks for the Queen, with fears growing for her health after she spent one night in the hospital last month for an unspecified medical issue. Last weekend, the monarch was “disappointed” to miss Remembrance Sunday due to a “back sprain.” 

Full Story: Health Reasons Force Queen Elizabeth To Miss Remembrance Sunday Ceremony

It is believed that Meghan and Harry are planning to attend the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The Jubilee will celebrate her record-breaking 70 years on the British throne. However, another insider is hoping that they reconsider this plan. 

“If that is the first time they are back in the country since Megxit, and they suck all the oxygen from the Queen, that will be just terrible,” this source said. 

The Queen will undoubtedly be devastated that Meghan and Harry will not be spending Christmas with her, particularly since she has yet to meet their newborn daughter Lilibet. We hope and pray that whatever health issues the Queen is suffering from now are a just a memory and do not ruin her Christmas.