Prince Harry is, allegedly, looking forward to celebrating his first Christmas in Santa Barbara with Meghan Markle, Archie, and Doria Ragland.

According to Woman UK, Prince Harry grew up celebrating Christmas Day filled with old school traditions. But this changed after he and Markle tied the knot.

A source told the magazine that the Duke of Sussex is excited to celebrate the holidays with his family without strict rules and traditions. And he’s also looking forward to creating his own traditions with his wife and son.

The insider claimed that Prince Harry’s best friend, Tom Inskip, might also fly to the United States to celebrate Christmas with them. And some of Markle’s friends will also join the Sussexes at home.

According to the source, Markle couldn’t also be happier to be away from the stuffy traditions of the royal family. After all, she never celebrated Christmas with the royal family again since 2017.

While speaking with the magazine, royal biographer Duncan Larcombe also weighed in on the royal family’s Christmas celebrations in Sandringham.

“Harry sitting down with his mother-in-law is going to feel very different from what he’s been used to since he was a child. It is a very formal affair at Sandringham. They always do the same thing. The queen is a stickler for how things are done, so Harry will probably enjoy a bit more freedom,” he said.

Meanwhile, the source claimed that Markle and Prince Harry are going to set up an eco-friendly Christmas tree before Christmas Day. And the Duchess of Sussex is already learning some of Princess Diana’s favorite recipes that they will serve to their guests.

There are also claims that Prince Harry and Markle will make a public appearance on Christmas Day. However, they won’t be joining the royal family on their Christmas Day walk. Rather, the couple might go to one of their favorite charities to volunteer.

Larcombe said that while COVID-19 has been a terrible blow for the royal family and the entire world, it also became an excuse for Prince Harry to avoid any awkwardness with his brother. After all, it’s still not safe for him to travel to the United Kingdom.

The United Kingdom is also going on a total lockdown starting this week due to the second wave of COVID-19. As such, it's more impossible for Prince Harry to visit his family for the holidays. 

In the book Battle of Brothers, royal author Robert Lacey said that Prince William and Prince Harry’s rift dates back to when they were kids. And some of their issues were never resolved.

Larcombe also said the same thing. According to the royal biographer, things are still awkward between Prince William and Prince Harry.