The long-awaited family reunion did not occur as was speculated a few months ago
Sandringham has been packed with people this year. The Windsors, who have reunited as they haven't seen in a long time, have been joined by the Parker-Bowles - Queen Camilla's sister, children and grandchildren. However, a reunion that was both expected and improbable did not occur: that of the Sussexes and the royal family.
Very few expected that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle would join the Windsors at this time after five years without doing so, but a few months ago there were some signs of thawing that made us think that the now unthinkable was a possibility. It was just a mirage since the plans of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have gone in an absolutely different direction.
Meghan and Harry would have enjoyed Christmas at their home in El Montecito, California, with their children Archie and Lili and the Duchess' mother, Doria Ragland, according to several sources close to them told US Weekly. The family is spending these family days cooking, playing with the little ones and, of course, exchanging gifts.
The Daily Mail assured that they would maintain the custom of opening presents on Christmas Eve as has always been done in the British royal family. All this after a pre-Christmas getaway to Costa Rica, where they were seen under the sun of Playa Carrillo, in the province of Guanacaste, famous for its tourist complexes.
Expectations of a hypothetical reunion at Sandringham gained strength after Charles III's birthday on November 14, when after a congratulatory call between father and son, signs of a thaw in their relationship were detected. The Sussexes' entourage then indicated that they would be willing, but weeks later they stated that no invitation had arrived to spend Christmas with the Windsors. The British press claimed that the main obstacle was the Princes of Wales, who were considering meeting the Middletons in case Harry and Meghan went to Sandringham after five years of absence.
In recent weeks, something happened that did not exactly contribute to redirecting relations. Omid Scobie, author of the Sussexes' biography, Finding Freedom, and a journalist very close to the couple, published a new book in which he delves into some thorny episodes of the royal family. Among them, the one that Meghan told in the interview with Oprah Winfrey that alluded to the comments of some senior members about what Archie's skin color would be when he was born. He also paints an unflattering portrait of the hard core of the British monarchy.
Meanwhile, Charles III, on his second Christmas as monarch, celebrated a very good Christmas surrounded not only by the Windsors, since he also invited Queen Camilla's sister, children and grandchildren. In addition, for the second consecutive year, Sarah Ferguson, Prince Andrew's ex-wife, joined the celebrations, removed from public life, but who still has her place at family gatherings.
In addition to the private celebrations, there is also the public showcase that is the walk to the church of Santa María Magdalena where the Christmas mass is celebrated. The choreography is always the same. The Kings are followed by senior members of the royal house and other family members and this was the case again on December 25. The Parker-Bowles did not attend the mass, but the Duchess of York did join for the first time in 32 years.
Sandringham served to stage an image of union around Charles III in the year of his coronation that could have been memorable with the presence of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. The Holidays are not over yet and we could be in time to see that reunion, but everything indicates that 2024 will begin with the same physical and emotional distance between Harry and his family that 2023 ended with.
