Holiday plans center on their UK home
After returning to Britain in August 2026, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had reportedly intended to travel to California for Christmas with Ragland. They are now said to be staying in the UK for the festive period, at a base thought to be in the Cotswolds.
Ragland could join Harry, Meghan, Archie and Lilibet there. HELLO!'s Emily Nash said celebrating with Meghan's mother was "always the plan". A spokesperson for the Sussexes did not respond to a request for comment.
A Christmas gathering with the royal family in Norfolk is not expected. A source previously told The Times that the Sussexes would find it "too awkward and too difficult" and were not expecting an invitation.
The reported plans follow news of a more permanent home. According to The Independent, by early November the couple had moved into a separate property on a wealthy businessman friend's Cotswolds estate, where they had initially stayed in the main house. The move reportedly ended their search for a permanent British base. The property's exact location has been withheld for privacy.
Their first British Christmas in eight years
The couple's last Christmas in Britain was in 2018, when Meghan was pregnant with Archie. They celebrated with the royal family at Sandringham that year and in 2017. They then spent Christmas 2019 in Canada with baby Archie, followed by their first holiday season in Montecito, California, in 2020, according to HELLO!.
Meghan's business preparations for this Christmas began in June 2026, when she started organizing a holiday collection for her As Ever lifestyle brand. The products included an advent calendar modeled on the family's Montecito home.
Public engagements and family relations
Harry and Meghan made their first joint public engagements in Britain since their August return on October 15, 2026. Their Nottingham itinerary included three charity projects: the Community Recording Studio, the Himmah Hub food-poverty group and Epic Partners. According to the Irish Examiner, these were Meghan's first public appearances at UK events since Queen Elizabeth II's funeral in 2022, four years earlier.
Before the visit, King Charles authorized a September letter to British government stakeholders stating that the Sussexes remained "private citizens". The Irish Examiner reported that the couple, who are said to view themselves as "public figures", were caught off guard by the clarification.
Harry expressed hope for reconciliation with King Charles and Prince William in a GQ interview recorded in late September and released on October 20, 2026. He described himself as "optimistic" about his return to Britain, saying: "Some people don't want it to work out. I want it to work out."
For the nearer-term Remembrance weekend, HELLO! reported in November that the couple were expected to observe events privately rather than join the royal family at London's Cenotaph.
Security questions and the 2027 Invictus Games
Harry's UK police protection has been the subject of a yearslong legal battle. The Royal and VIP Executive Committee, known as RAVEC, downgraded that protection after he and Meghan stopped carrying out official royal duties. In 2025, he lost his challenge against the Home Office in the UK Court of Appeal.
CNN reported that, as of mid-2026, it remained unclear whether the security arrangements had changed or who would fund protection in Britain.
Birmingham is due to host Harry's Invictus Games for wounded service personnel in 2027. Preparations were already underway in August 2026, according to CNN.
