Meghan and Harry to bring Lilibet to UK to meet Queen for Christmas

The Queen is reportedly excited to finally meet Lilibet in real life

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(Image credit: Getty)

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are expected to bring baby Lilibet back to the UK for Christmas, a royal source has revealed. 


The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are reportedly planning a festive Christmas vacation in Britain, where they can finally introduce their daughter to the Queen in person. 

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry welcomed their second child, Lilibet, in June, but have yet to bring the newborn to England to meet her great-grandmother in the flesh. While the Duke has made two visits to the UK over the past year—the first for Prince Philip's funeral in April and the second for Princess Diana's statue unveiling in July—he has not been back on home turf with his wife or children since the couple's high-profile emigration to America in early 2020. 

However, with Covid restrictions finally lifting, it looks like a face-to-face with Her Majesty could be on the cards sooner rather than later. 

Duke and Duchess of Sussex with their baby son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor during a photocall in St George's Hall at Windsor Castle in Berkshire

(Image credit: Dominic Lipinski/PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo)

According to royal expert Katie Nicholl, the Queen is excited for a proper reunion with the controversial couple this holiday season. Now that several months have passed since Meghan and Harry's bombshell claims against the Royal Family in their Oprah interview, it's hoped that the tension between the estranged relatives will have eased by the time December rolls around. 

WIDNES, UNITED KINGDOM - JUNE 14: (EMBARGOED FOR PUBLICATION IN UK NEWSPAPERS UNTIL 24 HOURS AFTER CREATE DATE AND TIME) Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Queen Elizabeth II attend a ceremony to open the new Mersey Gateway Bridge on June 14, 2018 in Widnes, England. Meghan Markle married Prince Harry last month to become The Duchess of Sussex and this is her first engagement with the Queen. During the visit the pair will open a road bridge in Widnes and visit The Storyhouse and Town Hall in Chester. (Photo by Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

(Image credit: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images))

"Christmas is being looked at as an opportunity," Nicholl told Closer magazine. "There may be a softening, which could pave the way for healing of the family rift." 

The scoop comes just a few days after the news of Prince Charles's heartbreak over never having met baby Lilibet was revealed. The Prince of Wales is reportedly "incredibly sad" that he has not held the Queen's eleventh great-grandchild and is said to be desperate to amend this. 

"It’s certainly what the Queen wants. Prince Charles would like to see his grandchildren. A meet-up suggests they hope to move on and sort things out," Nicholl added. 

"When Harry and Meghan left, they made it clear they didn’t want to give up their home in Britain. They still have Frogmore Cottage and their plan was to come back to the UK." 

How does the Royal Family celebrate Christmas? 

The Royal Family traditionally spends Christmas together at Sandringham House, the Queen's idyllic Norfolk estate. 

Christmas Eve is usually celebrated with lots of festive games, gift exchanges, and of course, delicious food. The annual holiday is known as a time for the aristocratic family to let their hair down away from the glare of the media and refresh in the comfort of the luxurious retreat after a busy year. It's even been rumored that Prince Harry and Prince William like to play a friendly game of football against Sandringham staff before joining the rest of the family in the manor's plush saloon for afternoon tea at 4pm. Presents are also exchanged on the 24th, in line with a German tradition introduced by Prince Albert in the 1800s.  

Sandringham

Sandringham House, the Queen's plush Norfolk estate 

(Image credit: Alamy)

Christmas Day commences with a hearty breakfast followed by an 11am service at St. Magdalene's Church, the Royal Family's private chapel. After posing for photographers in their finest seasonal attire, the family reconvenes at the main house for celebratory drinks and some much-needed catch-ups. 

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(Image credit: Getty)

An extravagant six-course Christmas lunch, complete with tealights, crackers, and wine, is served at 1pm sharp. The menu, which is often written in French, is jam-packed with classic festive foods—including turkey, mashed and roast potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, brussels sprouts, carrots, and parsnips. 

Alamy

A scene from Spencer, starring Kristen Stewart, depicts Christmas dinner at Sandringham House 

(Image credit: Alamy)

The meal is finished off with a spectacular lighting of a brandy-soaked pudding and a round of tea and coffees. After clearing their plates, the family takes some time to digest and relax. They regroup once again at 8pm for another stomach-bursting feast, which typically includes a host of old-fashioned meats like boar's head, ox tongue, and game, and sides like creamy potatoes and sliced tomatoes. Now that's what we call a Christmas dinner. 

Emma Dooney
Lifestyle News Writer

Hailing from the lovely city of Dublin, Emma mainly covers the Royal Family and the entertainment world, as well as the occasional health and wellness feature. Always up for a good conversation, she has a passion for interviewing everyone from A-list celebrities to the local GP - or just about anyone who will chat to her, really.


Emma holds an MA in International Journalism from City, University of London, and a BA in English Literature from Trinity College Dublin.