On Tuesday, Prince Harry kicked off the holiday season by making an appearance at a virtual Christmas party for one of his patronages. Wearing a red Santa hat, the Duke of Sussex hopped on a Zoom call for Scotty’s Little Soldiers, a bereavement charity for children who have experienced the death of a parent in the British Armed Forces.
“It’s okay to feel however you feel at Christmas,” Harry said to the group of about 280 children on the call. “Some people will be celebrating and happy, other people feel reflective, some people will be sad, and maybe you’ll experience every single one of these emotions and that’s absolutely fine.”
Harry took the call from his home in the US, where he plans to spend the winter holidays with his wife, Meghan Markle, and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. Though the rest of the Windsors are planning “one of the biggest family Christmases ever,” the Montecito branch of the family was reportedly left off the guest list. This week, The Daily Express reported that Harry and Meghan extended a holiday invitation to Harry’s cousin Princess Eugenie, her husband Jack Brooksbank, and their two children, August and Ernest. (A representative for the duke and duchess declined to comment.)
“It’s a very difficult position for Eugenie because she has also been invited to Sandringham,” a source told the tabloid, who added that Eugenie might try to travel to the US after making an appearance with the rest of the family. “The diary is very tight over the holidays but there might be a slot free around New Years’ time for everyone to come together at some point.”
Eugenie and Jack are the only known members of the extended family who have visited Meghan and Harry and their California home. “[Eugenie and Harry] have maintained a bond in recent years and are keen for their children to share a close family connection as they grow up,” the source added. “It would be so nice for the children to spend time with their cousins.”
