Queen Elizabeth Is Reportedly OK With Meghan Markle & Prince Harry Missing Christmas

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Nicole Fabian-Weber
Nicole Fabian-Weber
Celebrities

meghan markle
Pool/Samir Hussein/Getty Images

Almost immediately after it was reported that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were sitting out Christmas with the royal family this year, stories of how the Queen was "disappointed" started pouring in. (This, needless to say, couldn't have made the Duke and Duchess of Sussex feel too great.) Obviously, it's kind of a big deal that Harry and Meghan (and perhaps, more so, Archie) won't be at Sandringham with the rest of the family, but it's being reported that Queen Elizabeth understands why the Sussexes would want some privacy this year.

  • Last week, the palace released an official statement on how Harry and Meghan would be doing their own thing for the holidays this year. 

    prince harry
    Pool/Getty Images

    "Having spent the last two Christmases at Sandringham, Their Royal Highnesses will spend the holiday this year, as a new family, with the Duchess' mother Doria Ragland," a 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." 

    Of course, it was then reported that, despite offering her "support," Queen Elizabeth was "disappointed" with Harry and Meghan's recent behavior -- including their decision to skip Christmas. 

    Evidently, though, that's not the case. 

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  • First off, lest anyone forget, there have been years when William and Kate haven't spent the holidays with the royal family. 

    kate middleton
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    Since their wedding in 2011, William and Kate and the kids have alternated holidays at Sandringham -- which apparently is a big to-do, with almost every minute being scheduled -- with Christmases with Kate's family in Bucklebury. 

    "Christmas at Sandringham is a deeply embedded tradition in the royal family," royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith told Vanity Fair, "but the Queen does sometime make allowances." 

    Smith added: "The queen is pretty tolerant and she may not begrudge them missing Christmas given Meghan's mother is in the States."

    So this isn't unprecedented, and the Queen, even though she may miss them, is FINE with Harry and Meghan spending Christmas in the States.

  • ALSO, let's all remember that the Queen had Meghan at Christmas two years ago, before she was even an official member of the royal family. 

    prince harry
    Joe Giddens/Getty Images

    Obviously, she really likes her. All of this nonsense of her being disappointed is clearly being blown out of proportion.

  • Like many people, the Queen probably realizes that Harry and Meghan need time off to regroup and recharge. 

    meghan markle
    Joe Giddens /Getty Images

    They've had a heck of a year, and time out of the spotlight -- and perhaps away from Prince William and Kate Middleton -- will definitely do them good. 

    One Christmas away from the royal family isn't such a big deal. Now, if they skip next year, we'll start wondering.

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