It’ll be a non-royal Christmas forMeghan MarkleandPrince Harry.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are skipping the annual holiday festivities at Sandringham — including their public walk to church on Christmas morning — withQueen Elizabethand the rest of the royal family.
The palace didn’t specify where they will be ringing in the holiday, but a source tells PEOPLE that they will not be spending it in Meghan’s hometown of Los Angeles, where Doria lives.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry.
Meghan, 38, made her royal Christmas debut in 2017 shortly after she and Prince Harry, 35, announced their engagement. While pregnant with Archie, who the couple welcomed in May, they appeared alongsidePrince Williamand Kate Middleton again last year.
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Kate and William, both 37, previously spent Christmas away from Sandringham and the royal family’s annual celebrations. In 2016, they opted tospend the holiday with Kate’s family— andPrince GeorgeandPrincess Charlottewere spotted attending a church service near Kate’s childhood home in Bucklebury.
Kate, William and their two children walked to St. Mark’s Church in Englefield with the Middleton family. Kate looked glamorous in a burgundy coat with matching fur trim while William kept it conservative in a suit and navy blue coat. Meanwhile, the children looked adorable in their Christmas church ensembles — George in a knee-lengthPepa & Co. coatwith coordinating knee socks and Charlotte in a dark coat with red tights and a matching bow. George also wore maroon shorts under his coats — matching dad’s tie.
Both of the children were spotted sucking on candy canes as they held their parents hands outside the church. At one point, Charlotte tried to use her tiny candy cane like a walking cane.
The royal children — and their little brotherPrince Louis, 1 — have yet to make their royal Christmas debut.
Kate Middleton, Princess Charlotte, Prince George and Prince William at Christmas 2016.Andrew Matthews - WPA Pool/Getty
Speaking about the pressures of their jobs in the royal family, Harry said, “Inevitably stuff happens. But we’re brothers, we’ll always be brothers. We’re certainly on different paths at the moment. I’ll always be there for him and as I know, he’ll always be there for me. We don’t see each other as much as we used to because we’re so busy but I love him dearly.”
The father of one added, “The majority of stuff is created out of nothing. As brothers, we have good days and we have bad days.”
Back in April, an insider told PEOPLE that William and Harry “are at very different situations in their lives.”
Their different approach to life was evident as Harry’s relationship with Meghan grew more serious. Multiple sources told PEOPLE that tensions between the brothers deepened back when Harry first told his family he wanted to marry Meghan after less than a year of dating.
The insider said William — who dated Kate, his college sweetheart, for about eight years before tying the knot — cautioned Harry that things were moving too quickly, leaving Harry angry and hurt.
Prince Harry and Prince William.Samir Hussein/WireImage
It was previously revealed that Meghan and Harry willtake about six weeks offtowards the end of the year to spend some valuable “family time” together amid their concerns that theintense scrutinythey’ve faced has been tough on the couple.
“The duke and duchess have a full schedule of engagements and commitments until mid-November, after which they will be taking some much-needed family time,” a royal source confirmed to PEOPLE.
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Doria Ragland, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry.BEN STANSALL/AFP/Getty
“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are going to take a couple of months away from royal duties … If you look at it as a job, they didn’t take the full allowance of leave that you’re entitled to; every person is entitled to,” he said.
Samir Hussein/WireImage
source: people.com
