The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are getting ready to travel to the U.S. for the holidays.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's trip with baby Archie to America is coming just in time, as the royal couple is looking forward to being out of the spotlight.
A source tells ET that Meghan, 38, and Harry, 35, are using their holiday break to "recharge their batteries." However, the announcement that the couple intends to spend the holidays with Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland, only reignited speculation about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's relationship with the royal family. The source disputed ongoing rumors of a rift between Harry and his older brother, Prince William, saying that just because they are on "different paths doesn’t mean there is a rift."
The couple welcomed their son, Archie, in May and have been busy ever since. Royal expert Katie Nicholl recently opened up to ET about the workload the couple has been taking on.
"Don't forget that Meghan hasn't really had much maternity leave," Nicholl told ET. "I've told you on ET that she was hard at work on her issue of [British] Vogue, she was working on her Smart Works clothing collection. I don't actually think she had a huge amount of maternity leave at all. I think she worked quite hard behind the scenes for most of her maternity leave. So some might say that they are overdue for a break."
A palace spokesperson recently told ET that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would be spending the holidays with Doria after spending the last two Christmases with the royal family in Sandringham.
It's unclear whether Doria will return to the U.K. with her daughter, son-in-low and baby Archie for Christmas or whether the family will stay Stateside for the holiday after spending Thanksgiving in the U.S.
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