Meghan and Harry ‘won’t be celebrating Christmas with the Queen this year’

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have reportedly told the Queen they will not be spending baby Archie’s first Christmas with her.

It’s usual for the princes to spend the festive season at Sandringham in Norfolk with the rest of the immediate royal family.

Prince Harry has only missed it once before, when he was on a tour of Afghanistan while in the Army in 2012.

However, this year they are thought to be spending it either in Windsor or in America with Meghan’s mother Doria.

They had initially been expected to spend Thanksgiving in the US and then return home in time for Christmas.

If confirmed, it means they won’t be with Prince William, who his brother said was on a ‘different path’ last month.

A royal source told the Sun that the couple needed to ‘recharge their batteries.’

They said: ‘They need some time away to recharge and decide their plans for next year.’

Royal biographer Ingrid Seward said: ‘Christmas at Sandringham can be quite stressful so perhaps they don’t want to go with Archie at such a young age.

‘Having said that, Sandringham has played host to many many children through the ages and is well set up for them.

‘I think it’s sad they don’t want to be part of the family gathering, particularly now the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh are in their dotage.

‘The Queen might be a little hurt but she’s far too gracious to ever let it show or be known.’

An official source told Metro.co.uk the Sussexes had not yet finalised their plans for the festive season.

For the last two years, Harry, 35, and Meghan, 38, have both spent Christmas with the Queen.

However, this year they missed the traditional visit to Her Majesty in Balmoral, her summer residence.

Prince William will be at Sandringham for Christmas along with his wife Kate and three children George, six, Charlotte, four, and Louis, one.

Buckingham Palace has been approached for comment.