It looks like the Sussexes are set to spend their first Christmas in Britain as a family of four.
USA TODAY understands that Prince Harry and wife Duchess Meghan,who moved back to the U.K. in August after six years in California, will be spending the holidays in their new home with Doria Ragland, Meghan's mom.
Their plans come amid swirling debate over where the couple would choose to spend the festivities, especially after such an eventful year.
Last month it was widely reported that the couple would take their children Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, back to the U.S. for Christmas. The Times newspaper claimed that the couple "know they are not invited" to the royal family's traditional celebrations in Norfolk and so would likely head
back to the U.S. to avoid awkwardness.
For now though, it appears the Sussexes are staying put.
Harry and Meghan, who are at the center of an ongoing rift within the royal family, last spent Christmas with the prince's relatives in 2018, the year that they were married.
Afterall, it is likely easier for grandmother Ragland to travel to the U.K. solo than it is for Meghan, Harry and their two children to make the journey along with their private security entourage.
Harry and Meghan announced in 2020 that they would be stepping back from their roles as senior royals and leaving Britain. Their decision to exit the family sparked anger and controversy in the U.K. and widened a wedge already forming in the family between Harry and his brother, Prince William.
Their plans to remain in the U.K. also come just weeks after it was revealed that Meghan's estranged father, Thomas Markle, is under investigation over alleged possession of child sexual abuse material.
Markle, 82, is receiving medical treatment in Florida as police in the Philippines continue to investigate content found inside his former address in Cebu City. Markle has denied the allegations against him.
Meghan, in a statement issued in October, said she was "deeply distressed" by the "sickening" allegations, that she said she has known about since 2019.
Will and Kate, King Charles and Queen Camila share royal Christmas traditions
Christmas is a big deal for Britain's royals, with the king and queen and Prince and Princess of Wales releasing their royal Christmas cards in early December, complete with family photo. The images are often a display of unity amid an action-packed and often turbulent year for the family.
Ahead of the big day, the king holds a pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace for extended members of the family, a tradition continued from his late mother, Queen Elizabeth. Princess Kate has started her own tradition too, her annual Together at Christmas carol service at London's Westminster Abbey is a key highlight in the royal festive calendar.
Since 1988, the royal family has gathered at the Sandringham estate to celebrate Christmas Day, attending a morning church service in the countryside. Typically, the family make their way to the service on foot, greeting crowds who are waiting in the cold to catch a glimpse of their favorite royals.
Then there's the annual king speech, which sees the monarch reflect on the past 12 months, which is widely watched by families across Britain as part of their own annual traditions.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Prince Harry and Meghan plan to stay in UK for Christmas amid royal family tension
