Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's first holiday as a married couple is sure to be a memorable one.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's first holiday as a married couple is sure to be a memorable one.
A source tells ET that Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, is expected to spend some of the holiday with her pregnant daughter and her son-in-law. It’s expected that Doria will receive an invitation to attend church with the royal family at Sandringham, the royal estate in Norfolk, England, where the royal family traditionally celebrates the holiday.
Meghan and her mother have remained notably close, while Megan's relationship with her father, Thomas Markle, remains strained.
“Doria’s quiet dignity and grace at the Royal wedding has earned her enormous respect from Meghan’s new in-laws,” the source tells ET.
The source also says Harry is “enormously fond of his mother-in-law,” and she's been spending time at the couple’s home, including two extended vacations this summer.
Additionally, the source adds, Doria will be playing a prominent role in their new baby’s upbringing and life.
Harry's grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, memorably broke protocol last year by inviting Meghan as the first fiancée to attend Christmas with the royal family before her wedding to Harry in May. And according to the Sunday Express, the Queen has broken protocol again by inviting Doria to Christmas dinner this year.
In contrast, Kate Middleton's parents have also been guests at the Sandringham Christmas morning church service but typically stay with their daughter and Prince William at their nearby home nearby, instead. Kate and William have alternated holidays, spending Christmas at Sandringham and at her family’s home in Bucklebury.
"It's a mark of the Queen's respect for Meghan and an acknowledgment that she doesn't have any other relations in this country -- unlike Kate who has the support of a very close family," a source tells the UK outlet.
Meghan and Harry recently wrapped up their memorable first official royal tour together in New Zealand. Watch below:
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