Meghan and Harry have spent every Christmas in California since quitting the royal family in 2020 – and so miss out on the annual gathering at Sandringham

Meghan offered insight into how the Sussexes spend the Christmas holidays (Image: Getty)

Meghan Markle has dropped a major hint about how she and Prince Harry will be spending Christmas with their children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

The pair, who stepped back as senior royals in 2020, now reside in California, and have spent every festive season since in The Golden State rather than returning for the traditional Christmas at Sandringham with the rest of the Royal Family.

The Sussexes are expected to do the same this year, but the Duchess did give some rare insight into how the Sussexes celebrate on the other side of the pond.

Meghan made the comments as she hosted a special dinner held as part of the Southern California arm of Archewell Foundation’s Welcome Project in the run-up to Thanksgiving, when festivities kick of in the US.

The charity was founded by Meghan and Harry to support “women-led programming for recently resettled Afghan women to help build more inclusive and connected communities”, according to Vogue.

Harry and Meghan (Image: Getty)

Speaking to fashion magazine Marie Claire at the event, the Duchess said she “loves the holidays” and now that the children are older – with Archie and Lilibet now five and three, respectively – “every year it gets better”.

“At first, I think as a mom with children you’re just enjoying having them there, but they’re not understanding everything that’s happening yet,” she told the outlet. “But now we’re at the age where I just can’t wait to see it through their lens every year.”

Opening up what the Sussexes get up to over Christmas, Meghan said: “Like any other family you spend time having a great meal and then what do you do? Play games, all the same stuff, someone brings a guitar—fun.”

She also said it was important them to maintain traditions with their children like Thanksgiving recipes and the leaving carrots out for Father Christmas’ reindeer on Christmas Eve.

Meghan made the comments as she hosted a holiday dinner for The Welcome Project. (Image: Getty)

Meanwhile, the rest of The Firm are expected to gather at the Sandringham estate for the festive period, and step out for their customary appearance at a church service on Christmas Day.

The traditional annual get together has been carried on by King Charles since the death of his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, though its not known whether Harry and Meghan have been extended an invitation.

Prince Harry has insisted returning to the UK would depend on whether his family receive adequate protection, and has had a long drawn out legal battle with the Home Office over his security arrangements.

Deliberations centred on the Home Office’s refusal to allow him to pay for police protection when he visits the UK, after he quit as a senior royal. Harry is currently in the process of appealing the case.