Prince Harry, I believe, never did enjoy Christmas at Sandringham. Just like his mother, he would often be the last to arrive and the first to wave Norfolk goodbye when the guns from the Boxing Day shoot were safely back in their cabinets.
But as the Queen prepares to surround herself with family once again, there is a particular reason why Prince Harry may be the royal left lonely this Christmas.
When he and William were young, there was at least one thing they looked forward to when the family converged at Prince Philip’s favourite royal residence.
It was at Sandringham where they’d spend many happy hours with their grandfather, learning to shoot and exploring the countryside.
In many ways these precious memories helped forge both William and Harry’s love of the great outdoors.
The first Christmas without the Duke of Edinburgh will be tough for Her Majesty but she will at least be comforted by the laughter and excitement of having three generations of her family by her side.
Out in the cold
Meanwhile, more than 6,000 miles away, Harry, Meghan and their two children will remain in self-imposed exile in the splendour of their California mansion.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have had an incredible year in many ways. Tens of millions more in the bank, his-and-her book deals, high-profile appearances at awards ceremonies and, of course, the bombshell ‘interview of the year’ with Oprah Winfrey.
Next year, Harry’s full and frank autobiography is due to hit the shelves and Meghan seems set to continue to build her profile in the hierarchy of American politics.
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