Meghan and Harry begin break from royal duties ahead of Archie's first holiday season

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have reportedly begun their break from royal duties. HOLA! USA’s sister brand HELLO! understands that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are currently enjoying six weeks off with no further engagements scheduled for them. Harry is believed to have carried out his last public engagement on Sunday at the OnSide Awards in London—the awards celebrate young people who have gone above and beyond for their communities and overcome challenging circumstances.

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Meanwhile, the American-born Duchess was last seen November 10 at the Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph. Meghan joined Queen Elizabeth and sister-in-law Kate Middleton at the engagement, where she stood between the Countess of Wessex and Sir Timothy Laurence.

It was previously reported that the Duke and Duchess will bring their son Archie to the US to celebrate his first Thanksgiving with Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland. Last week, a palace spokesperson confirmed that the Sussexes will not be joining Her Majesty and the royal family at Sandringham for Christmas.

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"The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are looking forward to extended family time towards the end of this month. Having spent the last two Christmases at Sandringham, [the couple] will spend the holiday this year, as a new family, with the Duchess’ mother Doria,” Buckingham Palace said. “This decision is in line with precedent set previously by other members of the Royal Family, and has the support of Her Majesty The Queen.”

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It’s unclear if Meghan, Harry and Archie will celebrate Christmas in Los Angeles, where Doria resides, or at their Windsor home, Frogmore Cottage. The palace won’t be disclosing details about the Sussexes’ holiday plans “for security reasons.” Harry has celebrated every Christmas with his grandmother Queen Elizabeth, with the exception of 2012 when he was in Afghanistan. Meghan has also joined the royals at Sandringham for the past two years.

News that the pair won't be at Sandringham this year comes weeks after the Duke addressed the rumored rift between him and his older brother Prince William. “We’re certainly on different paths at the moment, but I’ll always be there for him and as I know, he’ll always be there for me,” he said during the ITV documentary Harry & Meghan: An African Journey. “We don’t see each other as much as we used to because we’re so busy, but I love him dearly.”