It was no surprise that Prince Harry and Meghan were absent from Britain’s royal Christmas celebrations at Sandringham after their recent outbursts. Their Netflix documentary cemented what we already knew: there is no going back.
Instead, the pair opted for a Californian Christmas. Away from the pomp and pageantry of the royal family’s traditions, the day was described as low-key, choosing to spend their days playing games like “pin the tail on the Catherine” and throwing darts at King Charles’s face. I’m kidding, they’re far too mature for that.
In Britain, we saw a family in unity. Even Prince Andrew attended the Christmas Day church service at St. Mary Magdalene and, somehow, was received well by crowds. The disgraced prince was even spotted cracking a joke with one well-wisher. Christmas cheer must even extend to the Duke of York.
One by one the new and improved Firm, brought closer by the treachery of the King and Queen of Cali, walked through Norfolk with their heads held high. Some have noticed that a lot of the family, including the Princess of Wales and Princess Beatrice, were wearing the same colors. The Wales boys wore the same shade of blue, with crowd favorite Prince Louis even making his Sandringham walk debut. Could this be a response to Meghan’s claim that she was forced to wear beige, as not to impose on the bright colors of the rest of the family?
King Charles’s speech was reminiscent of the late Queen. He started by paying tribute to his beloved mother, before paying tribute to the nation’s grief, and going on to talk about Christian values and the importance of tradition. The Prince and Princess of Wales were the only family members to get a mention, which for some reason caused a minor uproar. When King Charles made his first broadcast as king, he expressed his “love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives overseas.” To the king, this was a pivotal point and solidified that they were no longer part of the Firm.
As the new year looms, we get ready for a fresh start. But the Windsors would be so lucky, as Prince Harry’s memoir, Spare, is getting packed into boxes ready to arrive on our doorsteps for January 10. Publishers are said to be worried about how the book will fare after the poor reviews of the Sussex’s Netflix documentary, which was described as a cringeworthy “pity party,” even by publications that are traditionally more supportive of the pair.
One thing is for sure: while Christmas is a time for joy and faith for the rest of us, these last few weeks have been a period of calculated scheming for Meghan and Harry. 2023 isn’t looking like it’ll be any less of an opportunity for their critics to be vindicated. ’Tis the season!
