Christmas is one of the Queen's favorite times of the year and a chance for her to welcome her growing family to Sandringham. For Harry and Meghan it will be a particularly special Christmas, their last before welcoming a baby in the spring and their first with the royal family and Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland.
According to reports, the mother of Meghan, who lives in Los Angeles, was invited to join the Queen and the Royal Family in Sandringham, Norfolk, for another first royal yet.
Usually, only family members are invited to the Queen's Christmas table, but Meghan was an exception last year, when she joined the royal family for Christmas although Harry and she were not yet married. Now, the queen has broken with tradition by inviting a family-in-law to the family reunion, considered the ultimate act of kindness by the courtiers who are expecting a record attendance of the family this year.
The Queen invited all members of her family to join her at the end of another successful year: two royal weddings, a royal baby, a royal baby announcement and a birthday marking the 70th anniversary of her birthday . Sources close to Her Majesty, who would have bonded with Meghan about their shared love for dogs, said that she wanted to extend her Christmas invitation to Meghan's mother so that Meghan would not be in a uncomfortable situation during the holiday season.
"The Queen was very impressed by Ms. Ragland when they met," said a royal source. "The queen knows that Meghan's family situation is complicated and that the easiest way for Meghan and Harry to be together and with Doria, as they wish, is for them to join her in Sandringham, where there is a lot space. It's not the norm, but things seem to have changed a lot recently. "
Members of the Royal Family have done their best to welcome Meghan since the beginning of her relationship with Harry. prince Charles gave the couple the keys to Birkhall during the first months of their love story, William and Kate invited the newly engaged couple to stay with them at their home in Anmer, last Christmas. Kate was pregnant with Louis at the time.
This year, the Susbad should be invited to Sandringham's main house with other family members. The Queen is apparently desirous that as many of her seven great-grandchildren be present. "She loves to reunite the family and it's so much fun with all the little ones," said a source close to the family. "The queen has organized a very successful pajama party in Balmoral in the summer, which she hopes to be able to repeat this Christmas."