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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex won’t be home for the holidays. An official statement from the palace revealed on Friday, December 20, that the couple are jetting off to spend private time with their family in Canada. “The decision to base themselves in Canada reflects the importance of this Commonwealth country to them both,” the spokesperson wrote. “The Duke of Sussex has been a frequent visitor to Canada over many years, and it was also home to The Duchess for seven years before she became a member of the Royal Family. They are enjoying sharing the warmth of the Canadian people and the beauty of the landscape with their young son.”
The palace was sure to add that no further details would be provided about Harry, Meghan, and baby Archie's whereabouts for security reasons. This falls in line with the couple’s clear stance on taking a respite from the public eye. Harry and Meghan have been enjoying a break from royal engagements since November, following months of intense media scrutiny.
While downtime is certainly deserved, some fans are disheartened to know that the terrific trio won’t be celebrating a royal Christmas with Queen Elizabeth . It was announced in early November that Archie wouldn’t be spending his first Christmas with his great-grandmother and the rest of the royal clan. Instead, it’s been said that 7-month-old will ring in the holiday with his maternal grandmother Doria Ragland .
"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,” a palace spokesperson 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.”