Why Did Prince Harry, Meghan, Baby Archie Celebrate Christmas Away From Royal Family?

Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and Archie did not spend Christmas with the Queen and the rest of the Royal Family this year. It would have been the 7-month-old toddler’s first Christmas as a member of the royals but he and his parents chose to skip the royal holiday traditions and celebrated in their own way instead.

But while they are not in the palace for the holidays, Queen Elizabeth’s annual Christmas speech made a special mention of baby Archie. On Dec. 25, the 93-year-old monarch showed that even if he is far from them, the newest member of the family is on her mind on Christmas day.

“Two hundred years on from the birth of my great, great grandmother, Queen Victoria, Prince Philip and I have been delighted to welcome our eighth great-grandchild into our family,” Her Majesty said in her address. “Of course, at the heart of the Christmas story lies the birth of a child: a seemingly small and insignificant step overlooked by many in Bethlehem. But in time, through his teaching and by his example, Jesus Christ would show the world how small steps taken in faith and in hope can overcome long-held differences and deep-seated divisions to bring harmony and understanding.”

But despite the mention of Archie, he and his parents Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s family photo is not on display during the Queen’s speech. Prince Andrew is also missing in the array of photos set on the table as the monarch delivers her message of peace and harmony to people around the world.

Then again, it can be recalled that the Queen gave her blessings for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to spend the holidays with the former “Suits” actress’ mother, Doria Ragland. The couple is not in the U.K. as they are on a break from their royal duties.

After their official royal trip to Africa in October, Harry and Meghan confessed that they are having a hard time due to the media attention that they get. They said that they will be taking some time off to be away from the intense public scrutiny.

Meanwhile, as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle celebrate Christmas thousands of miles away from the Royal Family, the couple made sure to greet everyone through Instagram. On their official page, they simply posted, “Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas.”

The duke and duchess also released their very first Christmas card as a family of three. It featured Archie in the center it was adorable. The card was posted on Twitter by the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust on Dec. 24.