If you’re picturing a formal royal feast, think again. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry‘s Thanksgiving plans are refreshingly down-to-earth, according to a candid new interview with the Duchess of Sussex herself.
Related: Prince Harry & Meghan Markle’s Christmas Gifts for Archie & Lilibet
Speaking to Marie Claire, Meghan Markle opened up about her family’s upcoming celebrations with Prince Harry and their two little ones, Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet Diana, 3. The former Suits actress, who now calls sun-soaked Montecito home, shared that their holiday plans are generally pretty low-key. “Like any other family you spend time having a great meal and then what do you do? Play games, all the same stuff, someone brings a guitar—fun,” Meghan revealed, adding that “every single holiday is a new adventure.”
According to the mom of two, watching her children grow into the magic of the season has brought new joy to their celebrations. “At first, I think as a mom with children you’re just enjoying having them there, but they’re not understanding everything that’s happening yet,” she explained. “But now we’re at the age where I just can’t wait to see it through their lens every year.”
The Sussexes aren’t the type to keep their festivities exclusive, making it a point to welcome friends who might not have family nearby. Of course, this is where things get atypical: their guest list has included some pretty impressive names, with feminist icon Gloria Steinem having “came for Thanksgiving” one year in the past, according to Meghan.
While the family is firmly settled into their California routine, Christmas plans remain a topic of speculation. Charles Spencer, Princess Diana’s brother, has reportedly extended an invitation for the family to spend Christmas at Althorp estate. “Charles has invited Harry, Meghan and the children to Althorp this Christmas,” a Spencer family source revealed, per the Royal Observer, though it’s “far too early to say whether they will take him up on it.”
As for a potential royal Christmas at Sandringham? A palace source shared with the Royal Observer that invitations have become less frequent after years of declined offers. “Honestly, I think the King stopped inviting them to things because they consistently turned the invitations down for years,” the insider shared. However, they noted this doesn’t necessarily indicate any permanent rifts, adding that “it doesn’t have to automatically mean that he loathes them for good—it’s still his youngest son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren at the end of the day.”
Whatever their Christmas plans may be, one thing’s for certain: the Sussexes have made Thanksgiving all their own.
