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Meghan Markle has spoken out after attending a recent Thanksgiving event, without her husband, Prince Harry following reports that their work relationship is strained

Meghan Markle has broken her silence following reports hers and Prince Harry’s work relationship is “strained”.

In recent weeks, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who now reside in Montecito, California, have been attending events without one another. Former Suits actress Meghan, 43, last week attended a Thanksgiving event without her royal husband, 40. It comes following reports that their professional relationship is “in a very bad state.”

Attending an event for the Southern California Welcome Project in partnership with hers and Harry’s Archewell Foundation, Meghan was all smiles as she got stuck in. Meanwhile, Harry was not in attendance with her. Now, the mum-of-two has spoken out in a statement shared on their joint foundation website.

She opened up about the “heartfelt dinner” held for Afghan women with the organisation, Mina’s List. “This initiative, led by the partner organisation Mina’s List, has spent the past year building community through storytelling and creating a safe space for women who have resettled in the U.S. from Afghanistan,” the statement read.

Meghan Markle recently enjoyed an outing without Prince Harry ( 
Image:
The Archewell Foundation via Get)

Meanwhile, Prince Harry was in Canada at an Invictus Games event ( 
Image:
Getty Images)

The statement added: “The evening included a shared meal that encouraged open conversation centered on gratitude and resilience. The Duchess expressed her deep appreciation to the attendees for sharing their personal stories and cultural experiences, underscoring her excitement for future gatherings that continue to strengthen these connections.

“The dinner was hosted at Our Place, founded by Shiza Shahid, where the participants were gifted with new cookware for the upcoming holiday season. The Archewell Foundation remains committed to uplifting women and fostering community through shared experiences, reinforcing the importance of unity and support during challenging times.”

The Duchess of Sussex is known to be a fan of Thanksgiving but says the celebrations for her and Harry are always “pretty low-key” and told Marie Claire magazine that “being close to my mom is great” suggesting Doria will also be spending the day with the Sussexes.

Would you like to see Harry and Meghan working together again? Vote in our poll HERE to have your say.

However, Meghan revealed that one year the couple had a special unexpected guest at Thanksgiving – the feminist activist, Gloria Steinem. She added: “I was thinking about, in the past few years of having Thanksgiving here, like many of us, I think you always make sure there’s room at the table for your friends who don’t have family, which is really key.”

Last week, Harry who stepped down from royal duties in January 2020 and no longer uses the style His Royal Highness attended several Invictus Games events in Vancouver, Canada. But the couple put on a united front as they teamed up to honour those who fought for both the US and United Kingdom on Veteran’s Day earlier this month.

Meghan and Harry are set to make public appearances in February 2025 attending the Invictus Games in Canada. Meanwhile, the Duchess previously hinted that their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, who rarely appear in public may make an appearance. Harry and Meghan are said to be considering working separately from one another.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been making increasingly more separate public appearances and next week they will be coasts apart as they make solo outings on the same day thousands of miles apart

Meghan Markle once famously likened her and Prince Harry to “salt and pepper” as they always “move together”.

But next week, rather than the inseparable force they’ve come to represent, the couple will be thousands of miles apart once again as they both make big public appearances at opposite ends of the United States. Next Wednesday (December 4), Meghan is expected to appear at a glitzy Hollywood party honouring her pal Tyler Perry.

Perry is receiving The Paley Honors Award in Beverley Hills, with both Harry and Meghan named on the hosting committee for the award. However, despite being on the committee, Harry is set to be thousands of miles away in New York City, where he is set to speak at The New York Times DealBook Conference.

The couple during a rare joint public appearance in a video message last month
It comes as the pair have set tongues wagging with a string of increasingly separate public appearances over recent months since they embarked on a joint tour of Colombia in the summer. In fact, Harry was away from Meghan and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, for at least two weeks with public appearances in New York, London, as well as Southern Africa in late September and early October.

During his travels, Meghan was barely seen, however, she did attend a star-studded gala in aid of the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, wearing an eye-popping red gown as she posed for photographers.

Then just last week, Harry embarked on a solo trip to Canada to promote his Invictus Games taking place in February 2025 in Vancouver and Whistler. Meanwhile, it emerged that Meghan hosted a holiday dinner without her husband for Afghan women who have relocated to California and also let her hair down at a launch party for her pal Kadi Lee’s new haircare brand.

The apparent pursuit of separate careers has also seen rumours swirl about their private life, with one report alleging Harry spent the night of his 40th birthday with pals on a hiking holiday instead of his wife.

Prince Harry embarked on a solo trip to New York earlier this autumn ( 
Image:
Getty Images)

Meghan on the red carpet for a charity gala in LA ( 
Image:
Variety via Getty Images)
However, sources close to the couple have explained away the separate appearances saying one of them always stays behind for their children. One pal told People: “What we are seeing is a functional and healthy relationship with two working partners, not the contrary.”

Meanwhile, another source also told the magazine that it shows the couple’s new “twin-track approach” with Harry focusing on his charity endeavours and Meghan on her entrepreneurial projects and business.

However, experts have also weighed in on why this ‘professional separation’ may be happening. And PR expert Mark Borkowski told The Telegraph that the Sussexes’ “separation of work” has been ongoing for a while now, especially as Meghan works on her new American Riviera Orchard brand.

He believes the reason behind their solo appearances is because the “star power” they believed they might have had as a couple when they dramatically quit their royal roles simply “didn’t work”.

He explained: “They had to change the narrative. They need a venture that deflects from the failures. The charity aspect impresses upon everybody that he [Harry] does have value beyond the controversial stuff. It has the effect of separating them from the bad press and the failed content ideas. The punters still have time for Harry.”

Meghan at a holiday dinner for the Welcome Project in California last week ( 
Image:
The Archewell Foundation via Get)

But despite the separate outings, there has been one joint appearance by the pair that came in a video message about the importance of protecting children online. The clip shows the Sussexes in their first public appearance together in months, delivering a message that was played at a United Nations conference in Colombia on ending violence against children.

In the clip, Harry says: “We are at a crossroads”, adding: “The urgency to reassess and redefine our approach to protecting children has become increasingly evident. While the necessity has always been apparent, it’s now time to translate that awareness into meaningful action.”

Meghan gazes at her husband while he talks before she explains: “My husband and I recognise that today’s reality is marked by greater connectivity and advanced technology, which, of course, has many positives. However, it also compels us to better understand how digital violence against children is manifesting itself in this age.”

Prince Harry during a visit to the Seaforth Armoury in Vancouver on a solo trip to Canada ( 
Image:
Getty Images)
And analysing all of these latest appearances, body language expert Judi James told the Mirror there has been a definite shift between the Sussexes. She explained: “Harry and Meghan’s relationship seems to have evolved from a totally twinned one, where their body language was confined to appearances as a matching, complimentary and very royal-looking double act, to one that resembles the shape of a letter Y; joined and twinned at the base but also separating into two individuals moving into two rather separate professional directions.

“The newly ‘sole trader’ body language performances need to be interspersed with appearances that describe and emphasize the base of the ‘Y’. Theirs has always been laid out as a love story with a romantic core and seeing them alone still tends to create a look of a lost limb, thanks to their previously constant love of touch, tie-signs and other PDAs to provide a touching narrative that the world enjoys watching.

“The recent ‘base of the Y’ appearance was a rather formal and regal video appearance where Meghan threw Harry constant affectionate-looking glances to register besotted encouragement while he spoke, and Harry, more formally, failed to respond in kind apart from one rather rigidly extended arm placed around his wife’s back on the cue of the word ‘together’.

“The message was clearly one of ongoing bonds and togetherness but for fans of the Harry and Meghan passionately romantic body language rituals it was rather thin gruel. It will be sad for their fans if, despite their marriage being enduringly strong and loving, they have made a decision to tone down the PDAs.” But despite the shift, Judi believes both Harry and Meghan look “happy, confident and comfortable” despite spending so much time apart.

Royal fans have noticed a shift in Prince William’s style in recent months with the future king rocking a beard and more casual attire. His new look contains a hidden message, according to an expert

Prince William caused a stir back in August when he debuted a new beard in a video message alongside his wife Princess Kate to celebrate Team GB’s performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Since then, the future King has continued to embrace his rugged new look, and royal watchers have also noted a change in his personal style. For his most recent outings, William has opted for a more contemporary wardrobe, opting for slim-fit blazers and crisp white trainers to strike a balance between comfort and style, all the while still looking smart.

Body language expert Judi James believes that William’s evolving style reflects his increasing confidence, with both his choice of footwear – and his facial hair – signifying a shift in attitude.

She told the Daily Mail: “William’s recent change of style and his much less cautious-looking and less formal body language seems to indicate both a growing confidence in terms of his stepping up to the throne and maybe an update in his priorities since Kate’s and his father’s illnesses.”

She further suggested that William’s children, George, Charlotte and Louis, might have influenced his style decisions, too. “William has three children that are getting to the age where they will often make comments or jokes about any out-of-date dad clothing and start to quietly revolutionise his look, especially as he seems to have been spending more time with them recently,” Judi noted.

By his own admission, 2024 has been the “hardest year” of William’s life following both his father and his wife’s cancer diagnoses. Buckingham Palace revealed the King had cancer in February and would begin treatment. Just six weeks later it was announced the Princess of Wales was undergoing chemotherapy after a cancer diagnosis.

The King has since returned to public duties and Kate has finished chemotherapy treatment.

Prince William recently said: “I’m so proud of my wife, I’m proud of my father, for handling the things that they have done. But from a personal family point of view, it’s been brutal.”

The Prince’s new look does seem to symbolise a growing sense of self-assurance in the wake of his ‘annus horribilis’, and suggests what sort of king William hopes to be when the time comes. According to Judi, William’s recent outings reflect the fact that he now feels “more in control of his own destiny” than ever before.

“William has feared being too spontaneous or even ‘giving’ with his body language for most of his life thanks to the way he witnessed his mother’s life become an ongoing soap opera, but he seems more trusting with the press now. He might have seen how he can open up a little without inviting rabid scrutiny and retain an element of privacy for his family to have a more normal life.

“Perhaps the key quality being shown with this more relaxed and open body language then is that slow-learned trust. So many of the barbs in his life have come from within his own closest family group, and perhaps he finally sees, feels and appreciates the strong support and affection he can enjoy from the public.”

Princess Beatrice has carried out several high-profile royal outings in recent months leading to speculation she could help to bolster King Charles’ slimmed-down monarchy – and an insider has revealed what her royal future is set to look like

Princess Beatrice may be ninth in line to the throne – but she holds down her own job as she’s not on the list of official working royals.

However, the 36-year-old, who is expecting her second child with husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, often juggles her career with a smattering of royal outings and engagements. And in recent months, she’s stepped out to represent both her uncle King Charles and cousin Prince William on official outings.

Back in May, she joined William and her other royal cousins to help him host a Buckingham Palace garden party while just several weeks ago Beatrice, who is a counsellor of state, attended an exhibition at the invitation of the King’s Foundation.

Beatrice on a visit to a textiles exhibition on behalf of the King’s Foundation ( 
Image:
PA)
It comes as the number of working royals has dramatically reduced since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle quit their royal roles and Beatrice’s dad Prince Andrew was also forced to give up public life. This year both the King and Princess of Wales have also had to scale back their duties due to cancer diagnoses.

This has led to calls for Charles to call upon one of his younger relatives to help pick up the slack, with Beatrice the most senior of the non-working royals. But a source has told HELLO! what her royal future looks like – but it doesn’t seem full-time engagements are on the cards soon. They explained: “She might help out at things occasionally, such as the Prince of Wales’s garden party earlier this year. But it’s not a phased introduction into royal duties – it’s just her supporting the family.”

In recent weeks, Beatrice has also been on her travels visiting Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi for work. It had led to suggestions she had been on these trips as an unofficial representative of the UK. But palace sources called these claims “make-believe”.

Beatrice with husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi ( 
Image:
BUCKINGHAM PALACE/AFP via Getty)

Beatrice’s husband Edo with their daughter Sienna and his son Wolfie – Beatrice’s stepson ( 
Image:
PA)
It comes as it was just two months ago that Beatrice announced that she and Edo were expecting their second child. The late Queen’s granddaughter, 36, and her husband, 40, are set to welcome their new addition to their family next year in early spring and announced the news with two adorable family snaps.

The royal baby will be a little brother or sister for the couple’s three-year-old daughter Sienna, and Mr Mapelli Mozzi’s son and Beatrice’s stepson, eight-year-old Wolfie. Beatrice is the eldest daughter of the Duke of York and his ex-wife Sarah, and the new baby will be the Yorks’ fourth grandchild. The baby, who will not be an HRH, will be born 11th in line to the throne, with Beatrice’s younger sister Princess Eugenie moving down to 12th place.

He or she will also be the 14th great-grandchild of the late Queen Elizabeth II, and the second to be born since her death in 2022, following the arrival of Eugenie’s second child Ernest last year. Eugenie also has an older son called August.

Edo is the son of former Olympic skier Count Alessandro Mapelli Mozzi and Nikki Williams-Ellis. His son Christopher Woolf, nicknamed Wolfie, was born in 2016 to his then-girlfriend, American architect and designer Dara Huang. Beatrice has described Wolfie as her “bonus son” and he joined the Mapelli Mozzis at Kate’s Together At Christmas carol service in Westminster Abbey last December, holding hands with his stepmother as he arrived.

Prince Harry looks set to spread some Christmas spirit by hosting a special festive event where he will answer a string of questions in the coming weeks for a charity close to his heart

Prince Harry is reportedly gearing up to host a special Christmas party in yet another solo appearance.

It is believed that invitations have gone out for the Duke of Sussex to host a special festive video call with children involved in a charity close to his heart. The virtual event, set to take place on December 10, will reportedly see him chat with kids supported by Scotty’s Little Soldiers, a charity that supports youngsters who have lost a parent in the armed forces.

It will come after Harry also wrote a letter to the charity to mark Remembrance earlier this month and sent bags of sweets for children, who took part in the march past the Cenotaph during Remembrance Sunday.

Prince Harry has sent out invites for a virtual Christmas event ( 
Image:
AP)
According to the Express, the invitation email sent out by the chairty said: “Prince Harry would like to jump on a call with as many of our members as possible to wish them all a Merry Christmas. He appreciates that the festive season can be hard for our members and wants them to know he is thinking of them.” Charity members were also urged to submit a question for Harry as the invitation added: “This is your chance to get to know the Duke loads better and find out what Christmas is like for a Prince!”

The call will come just days after both Harry and Meghan make even more solo appearances on the same day next week. It has been confirmed that Harry will be in New York City next Wednesday (December 4) where he will appear at the New York Times DealBook Conference.

He will join journalist Andrew Ross Sorkin to speak at the annual conference, which Meghan once appeared at in 2021. The event falls on the same day that Meghan is expected to attend the 2024 Paley Honors Fall Gala, where the couple’s close pal Tyler Perry is being bestowed with The Paley Honors Award.

Harry and Meghan will make solo appearances on the same day next week ( 
Image:
Anadolu via Getty Images)
Both Harry and Meghan are part of the hosting committee for the award, with many expecting both to attend the gala. But it seems only Meghan will attend now Harry’s appearance in New York has been confirmed.

Last week, Harry embarked on a series of solo outings in Vancouver to promote his Invictus Games for injured service personnel and veterans, which is taking place in the city in February 2025. The outings came amid several months of solo appearances for both Harry and Meghan – despite Meghan once memorably likening the Sussexes to “salt and pepper” as they “move together”.

Earlier this autumn, Harry spent two weeks travelling, visiting New York, London and Southern Africa on a solo trip while Meghan made a glitzy red carpet appearance. It raised eyebrows at the time, and Harry flying solo in Canada has also set tongues wagging, especially as Meghan joined him in visiting Vancouver earlier this year in February.

However, the real reason for Meghan making the trip seemed to be a strategic one, with a source telling HELLO! that the couple’s current long-term plan is to have individual projects. They explained: “Harry and Meghan have consistently pursued solo ventures in connection with their individual interests, but remain deeply committed to their joint efforts through Archewell. Together they have exciting projects in the pipeline, all driving forward their shared mission for positive global impact.”

Sources close to the couple have explained away the separate appearances saying one of them always stays behind for their children. One pal told People: “What we are seeing is a functional and healthy relationship with two working partners, not the contrary.”

Harry and Meghan’s popularity in the UK and the US has plummeted in the wake of their public criticisms of the royal family – and now a new poll has placed Meghan even further down the list

There was a time when Meghan Markle was seen as a very welcome addition to the royal family, with the late Queen believing that the former actress would “be a breath of fresh air and a great asset to the Monarchy”.

But less than two years after the Sussexes’ wedding, Meghan and Harry quit royal life – and have since gone on to make a series of blistering attacks on his loved ones. Their comments have proved controversial and divisive, and it has led to a rapid decline in their popularity in both the UK and the US, where they now live.

Now a new YouGov poll has revealed that Meghan has dropped even further down the rankings, and has fallen behind a barely-seen royal. The latest quarterly data compiled by the polling agency shows the Duchess of Sussex is 17th on the list of the most popular Royal Family members based on the size of her fanbase.

Meghan was liked by 23 percent of Brits and known to 99 percent, putting her one place behind Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy, who is liked by 25 percent but only known to 56 percent.

So who is Princess Alexandra? She was born on 25 December 1936, as the only daughter of the late Prince George, Duke of Kent (King George VI’s younger brother) and the late Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark. She has two brothers – Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, 87, and Prince Michael of Kent, 80.

The Honorable Lady Ogilvy is still a working member of the royal family and was very close to her late cousin, Queen Elizabeth II, supporting Her Majesty at a great many engagements over the years.

At the age of 11, she took on a starring role as one of Princess Elizabeth’s bridesmaids at her wedding to Prince Philip in 1947, and Princess Anne was one of her bridesmaids when she married businessman Sir Angus James Bruce Ogilvy at Westminster Abbey in London 24 April 1963.

Alexandra and Angus welcomed two children together – James and Marina Ogilvy, born in 1964 and 1966 respectively. Sadly Angus died at the age of 76 on 26 December 2004, after spending three months in hospital with cancer-related illnesses. His death came a day after his wife’s 68th birthday. His funeral took place at St George’s Chapel in Windsor in January 2005, and he is buried in the Royal Burial Ground at Frogmore.

Princess Alexandra has lived at Thatched House Lodge in Richmond, London since 1963 and she also has use of a grace-and-favour apartment at St James’s Palace in London, via Hello. She continues to appear at major royal events and was featured in the King and Queen Camilla’s official coronation photographs, placed in between the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are said to “heading in a new direction for their brand” as the couple embark on a series of solo engagements – and we want to hear your thoughts on the move

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s professional engagements are reportedly taking different paths as the couple attend events alone – but do you want to see the Duke and Duchess of Sussex work together again?

It comes after Meghan attended a Thanksgiving event last week for the Southern California Welcome Project, in partnership with the Archewell Foundation, where she was spotted alone. In a statement, Meghan reflected on the “heartfelt dinner” held for Afghan women who have resettled in the U.S, with the organisation, Mina’s List.

It read: “The Duchess expressed her deep appreciation to the attendees for sharing their personal stories and cultural experiences, underscoring her excitement for future gatherings that continue to strengthen these connections.” Meanwhile, Harry has conducted a series of events alone to promote the Invictus Winter Games 2025, including a comedic skit alongside rapper, Jelly Roll.

The Duke was pictured about to receive his first-ever tattoo – which turned out to be a prank in order to put the spotlight on the upcoming games. The younger prince also spent two days in Canada where he launched the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler school programme at the Seaforth Armoury.

Harry delighted sports fans when he attended the Grey Cup ahead of the Toronto Argonauts’ clash with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers earlier this month. PR expert and founder of No Strings Public Relations, Riley Gardiner hailed Harry’s decision to arrive alone a “smart move.”

He told the Express: “It means the spotlight can stay on the games and away from every little thing Meghan does. He’s showing respect for the athletes and the cause without any distractions. I think his confidence comes across as real, which is key to winning back trust and restoring his image after some tough moments. It feels like a well-thought-out brand launch mixing meaningful engagements with unexpected public appearances.”

Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams recently told GB News that the couple are heading in a new direction for their brand. He continued: “They have tried something that has worked with the so-called royal tours of Nigeria and Colombia.

“Then we have got the solo engagements, so they are experimenting.” Meanwhile, royal expert Jennie Bond has defended the Sussexes decision to take separate paths, claiming that “they can pursue separate interests effectively” and “have twice the impact”.

She also told the publication: “It seems quite sensible to me for them each to capitalise on their individual strengths – Harry concentrating mostly on charity work and social issues, while Meghan goes down a more commercial route.” As the Sussexes pursue a separation in their professional lives, royal expert Angela Levin has questioned if it’s in a “bad state” as Harry faces “trouble with his US visa.”

She told GB News: “They say they’re going to work separately, then they say they’re buying a house in Portugal — you don’t do that if you don’t want to separate for most of the time, so I wonder if it’s in a very bad state. But I’m sure they’re trying to work out something.”

As Harry prepares for more solo engagements, we want to know if you would like to see the Duke and Duchess work together again. Vote in our poll HERE to have your say.

Tom Parker Bowles has shared new information about his stepfather King Charles’ as he reveals the monarch has cut down on a number of his favourite foods

Tom Parker Bowles, son of Queen Camilla and food critic, has revealed one big change the King has made to protect his health. Despite being a strong advocate for British meat, the King has reportedly reduced his intake of red meat.

The exact type of cancer that King Charles is battling remains undisclosed, but he hopes his story will resonate with other cancer patients. In a recent interview with Saga magazine, Tom mentioned that the Queen has also cut back on lamb, beef, and pork.

He noted that King Charles was “looking again at what, and when, he eats” following “what he’s been through recently”. Adding: “I’m no nutritionist, but I know that food is part of a body’s “medicine”. It knows when it’s having the right stuff.”

Cancer Research UK states: “Red meat is classed as a probable cause of cancer. This means there is lots of good evidence of a link between eating red meat and some types of cancer, but we need a few more of the best quality studies to be certain.”

Research has shown a definitive link between consuming large amounts of processed meat and an increased risk of developing cancer. According to Cancer Research UK: “We know for definite that processed meat is a cause of cancer. We are as sure of this link as we are for other proven causes of cancer, like tobacco and alcohol.”

The Palace has not disclosed the type of cancer affecting the King.

 

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are preparing for another Christmas estranged from the royals. And now Meghan has made a telling comment in a new interview about ‘family’

Meghan Markle is gearing up for the Christmas holidays with her husband and children. But she has raised eyebrows following the release of a new interview, in which she made a poignant comment about family.

Meghan and Harry are famously estranged from the royals following their exit from The Firm in 2020. The couple have levelled a number of criticisms at members of the monarchy – in their Oprah interview, their Netflix series, and in Spare – and Meghan has stated how “lonely” she felt at the time. As such, a huge gulf has developed between Harry and his family, and the Sussexes will not be spending the festive period at Sandringham.

Instead, they will remain in Montecito, California with Archie and Lilibet. And speaking to Marie Claire, Meghan spoke about their plans and stressed the importance of “making room at your table for your friends who don’t have family” during the holidays.

Meghan Markle hosts a Holiday Dinner for The Welcome Project in Celebration of Community in Venice, California ( 
Image:
The Archewell Foundation via Get)

Meghan is looking forward to spending Christmas with Prince Harry and their two children ( 
Image:
The Archewell Foundation via Get)
She was also asked how Americans can help newcomers feel at home in the US during the holiday season. “It’s really easy,” she replied. “Just think about how you’d want someone to treat you…how would you want someone to open their arms to you?”

Meghan spoke to the publication while hosting a pre-holiday dinner for Afghan women who had fled their country and have relocated to the United States. The event was a joint effort between Archewell ‘s The Welcome Project and Mina’s List to “support the creation of programming for women who have recently resettled from Afghanistan “.

Elsewhere in the interview, Meghan shared her “love” of the holidays, and said of her two children Archie and Lilibet, “every year it gets better”.

“At first, I think as a mum with children you’re just enjoying having them there, but they’re not understanding everything that’s happening yet,” she said. “But now we’re at the age where I just can’t wait to see it through their lens every year,” she said, adding that the family puts “carrots for the reindeer” out as one of their annual festive traditions.

Meghan was famously invited to join the royal family for a Sandringham Christmas in 2017 – five months before her wedding to Harry. It was an unprecedented move by the late Queen – neither Princess Kate nor Duchess Sophie spent Christmas Day with their in-laws until after they had tied the knot. But the monarch went out of her way to welcome Meghan.

Meghan Markle at a holiday dinner for the Welcome Project in California ( 
Image:
The Archewell Foundation via Get)

According to royal reporter Richard Eden : ” The Queen fast-tracked her entry into the Royal Family, inviting Meghan to join her at a service to mark Commonwealth Day – her first official engagement with the Queen – two months before the wedding. It was another clear indication that Her Majesty valued Meghan and wanted her to be seen as a part of the family without delay.”

A short time after the 2017 Christmas gathering, Prince Harry told BBC Radio 4’s Today show: “The family loved having her there. There’s always that family part of Christmas [where] there’s always that work element there as well, and I think together we had an amazing time. We had great fun staying with my brother and sister-in-law and running round with the kids. Christmas was fantastic.”

Asked if there were any family traditions that had to be explained to his partner, Prince Harry divulged: “Oh plenty, I think we’ve got one of the biggest families that I know of, and every family is complex as well. No look, she’s done an absolutely amazing job. She’s getting in there and it’s the family I suppose that she’s never had.”

A Christmas card signed by King Charles III and Princess Diana is being sold on eBay – and it could be yours for £2,000.

The listing for the ‘rare’ royal find, from 1985, features a photo of the couple with their children, Princes William and Harry – then three and one years old.

The sweet family portrait shows their eldest son lifting his little brother up and grinning for the camera – as they sit on a Shetland Pony together.

It reads: ‘To you both, from Charles and Diana.’ There is a family portrait of the royal couple with the Princes William and Harry as youngsters.

The special artefact is all the more rare given royals have for a long time not been allowed to sign autographs due to risk of forgery.

There are only a handful of exceptions, such as visitors’ books or official documents.

The card was once auctioned by RR Auction in 2022 and is now available to purchase on eBay being sold by its current owner, who is based in the US.

It is currently listed for US $2,949.95, or approximately£2,337.89.

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A Christmas card signed by King Charles III and Princess Diana is being sold on eBay – and it could be yours for £2,000

‘This is a rare and unique item for any collector or fan of King Charles III, Princess Diana, The United Kingdom and The British Royal Family,’ the site says.

‘The 1985 Holiday Card features a signature from Princess Diana and King Charles III and comes with a certificate of authenticity from RR Auction.

‘The Westminster Collection Ltd & also has been authenticated by Professional Sports Authentication.

‘The card showcases a beautiful design and is in excellent condition, perfect for display or as a special addition to any collection.

‘The historical significance of this item cannot be overstated, and it is a must-have for any serious collector.

‘Don’t miss out on this opportunity to own a piece of history.’

It comes as last month, Queen Elizabeth II‘s former housemaid was selling her collection of Christmas cards sent to her from the late monarch to help pay for her care in old age.

June Guerin, now 87,  joined the royal household in the early 1970s after answering an advert in The Lady magazine.

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The listing for the ‘rare’ royal find, from 1985, features a photo of the couple with their children, Princes William and Harry – then three and one years old

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Charles and Diana pictured on Christmas Day in 1981, after a service at St George’s Chapel in Windsor

She served the Queen and Prince Philip for 22 years and became a senior housemaid at Buckingham Palace.

The Queen was said to be fond of June and she travelled with her and the Duke of Edinburgh, serving at Sandringham, Windsor Castle, Balmoral and on the Royal Yacht Britannia.

She used to regale her family with the story of how she once danced the Gay Gordon Scottish country dance with Prince Philip at a party.

June retired in the mid-1990s and used to live in an apartment on the royal estate at Windsor.

Now suffering from dementia and aged 87, June’s family were selling her royal Christmas cards to help pay for her care.

There were 24 cards in total dating from 1987 to 2018, with some years missing.

Also going under the hammer in October were two personal handwritten cards from Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York.

Mimi Connel Lay, of Lay’s Auctioneers of Penzance, Cornwall, said: ‘June’s collection of Christmas cards are a testament to her devotion to the Royal family.

‘Even though she retired from service in the mid-1990s, she still received a Christmas card from the Queen and Prince Philip up until the Queen’s death.

‘It is rare for a phenomenal and personal collection such as this to come onto the market. June now has dementia and is in a care home and her family have made the difficult decision to sell these treasured items to help with her care.

‘Some of the Christmas cards are great from an historic perspective, showing Harry right in the centre and bosom of his family, which is rather poignant given the current rift.’

The card for Christmas 1987 carries a photograph of the Queen and Prince Philip and their four grandchildren at the time, Peter, Zara, William and Harry.

June is originally from Guernsey and never had children.

In recent years she has lived in Cornwall, near her great niece, Michaell Dunne, who is selling the collection.

Mrs Dunne, 45, said: ‘She was very loyal to the Queen who I think cared for the people who were around her every day.

‘Auntie June was always very descreet when it came to the royal family and never gossiped.

‘She did say that her duties included preparing the Queen’s bedroom for bedtime or going in to open the curtains in the morning.

‘June’s favourite story was a New Year’s Eve party where the staff were invited to and she danced the Gay Gordons with Prince Philip, that was her claim to fame.

‘June has lived in a care home in Cornwall for the past six years and has advancing vascular dementia these days. She forgets that the Queen and Prince Philip have passed away and gets upset if reminded.

‘We’d love for June’s collection of cards to be treasured by future generations of people who love the royal family the same way that she does.’