Peace found between Charles III and the Sussexes? Ultimately, nothing is less certain! While many rumors suggested that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were perhaps going join the United Kingdom and the royal family for the end-of-year holidays following a hypothetical reconciliation with the king, nothing ultimately happened, the exiled princely couple having favored a heavenly destination, while the Windsors, for the fifth consecutive year, did not not counted on their presence at Sandringham. But this absence is not the only clue suggesting that all is not well between the monarch and his son.
During his traditional Christmas speech, the second of his reign, Charles III advocated strong themes such as ecology, but also generosity and compassion, wishing salute the remarkable work of the people committed to helping and serving those in need. Throughout this speech, Queen Camilla’s husband broadcast images of events that took place throughout this year 2023 and in which the royal family was able to attend or even participate. This is where the problem lies for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: no image of their actions, or their initiatives was then put forward by the king during his speech. A real snub for the Californian princely couple, which clearly demonstrates that the hatchet between the king, his son and his daughter-in-law is not yet completely buried.
⋙ PHOTOS – Harry complicit with the rest of the royal family, these almost forgotten photos
Charles III ready to shake up traditions to modernize the Crown
However, for this Christmas 2023, King Charles seemed ready to make many concessions within the usual traditions of the English Crown. In addition to wanting to put his differences with the Sussexes aside, the monarch with sometimes absurd gift ideas invited certain additional guests to come and celebrate Christmas at Sandringham with them, while New Year’s Eve is usually intimate. The king indeed proposed to certain members of his wife’s family to join them so that the latter is not torn between her obligations as queen and her desire to be with her family at Christmas. Decisions which show how much the monarch is ready to modernize the institution and relax the rules, although this is not enough to re-establish a real dialogue between the Sussexes and the rest of the royal family.
Photo credits: YouTube / BBC screen capture