Meghan Markle offered a glimpse into her family’s private Christmas festivities through an As ever newsletter released on December 25, 2025, detailing a cozy and magical celebration at home with Prince Harry and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
In the newsletter, the Duchess of Sussex described enjoying a Christmas Eve feast of dim sum, a departure from traditional British holiday meals, followed by wrapping last-minute gifts and ensuring that Santa Claus and his reindeer were accounted for with cookies and carrots. She emphasized the joy of maintaining the Christmas magic for her young children, Archie, 6, and Lilibet, 4, highlighting the family’s focus on creating cherished memories.
For Christmas Day, Meghan outlined plans to spend the entire day in pajamas, cuddled up with her family. Activities included board games like Scrabble or Sequence for the adults and Candyland for the kids, with music playing, candles flickering, and their dogs snoring in the background. She painted a picture of a relaxed day filled with laughter, deep breaths, and endless grazing on food, underscoring the intimate and personal nature of their celebration.
The Sussexes celebrated Christmas at their home in Montecito, California, marking another year away from the royal family’s traditional gatherings in the United Kingdom. This contrasts with the rest of the British royal family, who attended the customary Christmas Day church service at Sandringham, where King Charles III, Prince William, and other members greeted crowds, with Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie in attendance but Prince Andrew absent.
Meghan and Harry have not participated in the Sandringham Christmas service since 2018, having stepped back from royal duties in early 2020 and moved to the United States. Their last British Christmas was in 2018, and since then, they have established their own holiday traditions in California, as showcased in Meghan’s Netflix special ‘With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration,’ which premiered earlier in December.
By sharing these details through her newsletter, Meghan continues to connect with the public on her own terms, offering a curated view of her family life. This approach aligns with her and Harry’s efforts to build an independent brand and maintain privacy while engaging with their audience through controlled media channels.
The newsletter also serves as a reminder of the couple’s focus on family and creating meaningful memories for their children, away from the pressures of royal protocol. It underscores their commitment to a more relaxed and personal lifestyle, which has been a hallmark of their post-royal life.
As the holiday season unfolds, the Sussexes’ celebration highlights the evolving dynamics within the royal family and the ways in which modern royals navigate public and private spheres. Their choice to share such moments reflects a broader trend of transparency and personal storytelling in the digital age.
