Why Meghan Markle has never done Easter with the royal family
The royal Easter bunny has always skipped a visit to Meghan Markle. Even before Markle, 41, and Prince Harry, 38, broke with the royal family and moved to California, she never attended the traditional Easter church outing. In 2019, the family attended Easter services in Windsor Castle's St.
George's Chapel -- which Harry and Meghan had already selected as their wedding venue. However, the couple didn't attend, even though Prince William and Kate Middleton did. At the time, Harry and Meghan were reportedly busy with engagements leading up to their wedding day that May, and spent the holiday privately. Markle's first holiday with the royal family was Christmas of 2017, when she and Harry were newly engaged.
"I remember so vividly the first Christmas at Sandringham," she said in the Netflix docuseries "Harry & Meghan." "Calling my mom, and she's like, 'How's it going?' And I said, 'Oh my gosh, it's amazing. It's just like a big family like I always wanted.' And there was just this constant movement and energy and fun."
Meghan Markle, Prince Harry and Queen Elizabeth.Getty Images
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.Getty Images
"The family loved having her there," Prince Harry told BBC Radio 4 at the time.
In 2019, when the couple was living at Frogmore Cottage, the Duchess of Sussex was far into her pregnancy with Prince Archie, so while Harry attended, Markle sat it out. By 2020, the couple had stepped back from the royal family and absconded to California (plus, with the COVID-19 pandemic at its height, the family didn't gather). In 2021, the royals also didn't embark on a big Easter celebration due to the pandemic, and instead the late Queen Elizabeth and her son, then-Prince Charles, took a stroll to mark the occasion.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.WireImage
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2019.Getty Images
Celebrations resumed last year, but Prince Harry and Markle were at Invictus Games in The Hague at the time.
Tensions have increased between the couple and the rest of the royal family in the wake of Prince Harry's controversial book "Spare," in which he referred to William as his "arch-nemesis." "William is the one who is most upset and needs time to calm down," a source told People, referring to his reaction to "Spare." All eyes are on King Charles' coronation, which is scheduled for May 6th.
But it hasn't been confirmed yet whether Prince Harry and Markle will attend.
Markle, above in 2020, never attended the royal family's traditional Easter church outing. Getty Images
Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, Prince William and Kate Middleton.
Tensions between the couple are reportedly high after the release of Prince Harry's memoir, Spare.Getty Images
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and their children attend the Easter service at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle on April 17, 2022.Getty Images
"There have been lengthy discussions between the Sussexes and the palace, there is a time crunch on this, of course," an insider told Page Six.
"It's such a historical event and it's hoped that Harry and Meghan will be there."