The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have reportedly sent out a second, more private Christmas card to their close friends and family.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle unveiled their official 2024 Christmas card earlier this week, delighting royal fans with its release. The public card featured six photographs capturing key moments from their year, including a touching image of the couple embracing their two children, Prince Archie, five, and Princess Lilibet, three.
Other images highlighted the couple’s charitable work, showcasing scenes from their overseas visits to Nigeria and Colombia.
However, while this card was shared publicly, it has now been revealed that the Sussexes have also created a separate, private card intended for close friends and family. According to PEOPLE, the publicly released card is primarily for professional purposes, whereas the private card contains more personal family photographs and glimpses of their life in Montecito, California, where they have lived since stepping down as senior royals in 2020.
The recipients of this private card remain unknown, and it is unclear whether any members of Harry’s royal family in the UK will receive one.
This news comes just days before Christmas celebrations officially begin. While approximately 45 members of the Royal Family are expected to gather at Sandringham to celebrate with King Charles and Queen Camilla, Prince Harry will not be among them.
Instead, Harry, 40, is reportedly spending Christmas at his California home with Meghan, Archie, and Lilibet. This marks the sixth consecutive Christmas he has spent apart from his royal relatives. Reports suggest he was not invited to Sandringham this year.
Similarly, Prince Andrew will also be absent from the Sandringham gathering. Following his recent controversy involving a suspected Chinese spy, Andrew is expected to spend Christmas Day at Royal Lodge in Windsor alongside his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson.