Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are 'unlikely' to join the Royal Family at the Sandringham estate for their first Christmas without the Queen, it has been claimed.
While it is understood that King Charles III has invited the Duke and Duchess of Sussex - who he has said remain "much loved" members of the family - it has been said that they most likely will not take the new King up on his invite.
In fact, a source close to Charles said: "They are unlikely to attend."
This comes as a shock as this year will be the first time that the King has the responsibility of holding the annual family gathering at the private estate in Norfolk.
The Royal Family has made Sandringham their base for Christmas and New Year since 1988.
It is expected that the Prince William and Kate Middleton will be attending and staying at nearby Anmer Hall, which was the home they were gifted by the Queen, reports Mail Online.
Other family members are also expected to join the King and Queen Consort on their walk church on Christmas morning.
The last time the Duke and Duchess of Sussex celebrated Christmas at Sandringham was 2018, just 13 months before they announced they were stepping down as Senior Royals.
And last year, the royal couple reportedly snubbed the Queen's invite, and turned the invitation down in the hopes of "avoiding a media frenzy."
Instead, they spent Christmas at their home in Montecito, California with their two children, Archie and Lilibet.
However, some members of the Firm may be glad that at the Sussexes absence, after Meghan described the Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral as ‘complicated’.
And Harry is also poised to release his bombshell memoir in the new year - on January 10 - and a Netflix programme before that.
Publishers of the Prince's book, titled Spare, say that it will feature the painful episode of his mother’s tragic death and will hold a 'loaded' reference to his position as the younger brother of the heir to the throne.
And sources close to the couple have said that relations between Harry and Meghan and the rest of the royal family are 'near rock bottom.'
