Meghan Markle and Prince Harry aren’t ‘in the country’ - details of six-week break emerge
MEGHAN MARKLE and Prince Harry are “not even in the country” and are believed to have spent Thanksgiving with “close family” in the US.
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Details of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’ six-week-long break have emerged during a podcast by royal correspondent Omid Scobie. Speaking about Meghan and Harry’s first Thanksgiving as parents, Mr Scobie revealed the family-of-three have spent the day with “close family”.
He said: “The Sussexes are away, they’re on their break right up until Christmas.
“They celebrated Thanksgiving privately with close family, which is lovely.”
A guest of the podcast, royal producer at ITV News Lizzie Robinson, then claimed Meghan, Harry and Archie are not in the UK, adding details to the brief statement released by a spokesperson for the Sussexes in November.
Ms Robinson said: “We know they’re away, they’re not even in the country.”
Mr Scobie added: “It’s a long-time trip that they’re on, I think we are really going to see them away until Christmas as far as I’m aware, which is good for them.”
Ms Robinson then fuelled speculation Meghan and Harry are in LA, where the Duchess was born and brought up, saying the family “probably” welcomed “being away, and back home for Meghan, in the US”.
This comes after royal expert Katie Nicholl said last week Meghan was likely to gather her family around the table and wear the apron on Thanksgiving.
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She told OK! magazine: “Meghan loves being in the kitchen.
“She’s a talented chef and takes great pleasure in bringing people together over a family meal.
“There won’t be any staff helping her - she’ll definitely be wearing the apron.”
Last month, a spokesperson for the Sussexes announced the Duke and Duchess were taking a six-week break from royal duties, to last between the end of November and early January.
This means Meghan and Harry won’t celebrate Christmas in Sandringham with the Queen and other senior royals.
However, the statement didn’t specify the whereabouts of the Sussexes to protect their safety and privacy during their time off.
The statement read: “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are looking forward to extended family time towards the end of this month.
“Having spent the last two Christmases at Sandringham, [the couple] will spend the holiday this year, as a new family, with the Duchess’ mother Doria.
“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.”
Meghan and Harry aren’t the first senior royals to desert Sandringham over Christmas.
In 2012 and 2016, Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, and Prince William spent Christmas Day with the Middletons at their home in Berkshire.
But this period of rest away from public eye will likely be used by Meghan and Harry to recharge and decide what to do next, after they voiced in October their struggle to cope with the media scrutiny.
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told Express.co.uk: “There is no doubt whatever that both Harry and Meghan need a confidence boost.
“Public life can be horrendously tough. However altered, the job of being a senior royal involves constant appearances in front of the global media.
“In the weeks to come Harry and Meghan must decide what they really want to do and where and what the cost of relocation, if they do intend to do this, would be.”