The Queen took a different approach when it came to welcoming Meghan Markle into the royal family – and it meant she broke a few historic traditions along the way
Meghan was afforded certain royal privileges not given to Princess Kate (
Image: Getty Images)
The late Queen upturned royal tradition to make Meghan Markle feel welcome ahead of her wedding to Prince Harry in 2018. And according to an expert, it’s likely because Meghan had an edge over Princess Kate that meant she was fast-tracked into the family. In December 2017, the monarch invited Meghan to join the royals for Christmas Day in Norfolk. Historically, only members of the Firm and married partners were allowed to attend – as such, neither Princess Kate nor Duchess Sophie spent Christmas Day at Sandringham until after they had tied the knot. But Meghan was invited to join in the festivities some five months before her wedding.
Similarly, in March 2018, the Queen allowed Meghan to attend the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey. It was the first time that the Suits actress had joined Elizabeth II at an official public engagement, and she was seated amongst the senior royals, including William and Kate, despite not yet being wed.
Speaking on the Daily Mail’s Reading the Royals, expert Richard Eden suggested the Queen was motivated by three key factors. “I think it was a reference to Meghan’s age and maturity, and that she felt she’s an established figure,” he said. “She’s an actress – not someone like Princess Diana or Catherine who were younger and less experienced. She really felt that here was someone who was ready to join The Firm immediately.” Furthermore, according to Eden, the Queen felt that Meghan – “a divorced, mixed-race American actress – would be a breath of fresh air and a great asset to the Monarchy”.
Prince Harry later spoke about Meghan’s first Christmas with the royal family – and said it had been a big success. He told BBC Radio 4’s Today show: “The family loved having her there. There’s always that family part of Christmas [where] there’s always that work element there as well, and I think together we had an amazing time. We had great fun staying with my brother and sister-in-law and running round with the kids. Christmas was fantastic.” Asked if there were any family traditions that had to be explained to his partner, Harry divulged: “Oh plenty, I think we’ve got one of the biggest families that I know of, and every family is complex as well. No look, she’s done an absolutely amazing job. She’s getting in there and it’s the family I suppose that she’s never had.”
Meghan, meanwhile, opened up about her first Christmas with the royals in the couple’s Netflix series, Harry & Meghan. “I remember so vividly the first Christmas at Sandringham, calling my mom, and she’s like ‘How’s it going?’ and I said ‘Oh my gosh it’s amazing’,” she recalled. “It’s just like a big family like I always wanted. And there was just this constant movement and energy and fun.”
The Sussexes have not celebrated Christmas in the UK since 2018, when Meghan was pregnant with their first child Archie. In 2019, they spent the festive period in Canada during an extended break from their royal duties – just weeks before announcing their decision to step back as senior royals. They now live in Montecito, California and are all but estranged from the royal family.
