Meghan Markle Shares the Christmas Tradition She Cherishes with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry welcome Christmas with a favorite tradition.

Last month, the Duchess of Sussex opened up about her love of the holiday season and the memories she makes with Prince Archie, five, and Princess Lilibet, three.

Meghan said Marie Claire that the family puts “carrots for the reindeer” as one of their favorite traditions.

On spending the holidays as a family of four, she said, “At first, I think as a mom with kids, you just enjoy them being there, but they don’t understand everything that’s going on yet. But now we’re at the age where I can’t wait to see it through their lens every year.”

“Every holiday is a new adventure,” she added, stressing the importance of her children experiencing the “magic” of traditions like “great recipes that end up being associated with a formative memory.”

Prince Harry (2nd right), Duke of Sussex, talks with his wife Meghan Markle, accompanied by Colombian Vice President Francia Marquez (left) and Director of the National Center for the Arts Xiomare Suescun, attends a performance at the center in Bogota on August 15, 2024.

RAUL ARBOLEDA/AFP via Getty

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle not invited to Royal Family Christmas at Sandringham: Source

Archie and Lilibet appeared on the 2024 Sussex holiday card — the first time they’ve done so since 2021, the year Lili was born (and made her public debut). In the photo — one of six featured in Harry and Meghan’s holiday card this year — Archie and Lilibet have their backs to the camera (red hair on full display!) as they run toward Harry and Meghan, who greet them with open arms. The children were last shown in the couple’s documentary series on Netflix in 2022 Harry & Meghanpublished in December 2022 — two years before.

PEOPLE understands that while this card is intended for professional use, the family has sent a separate, private card to their close friends and family that will not be shared publicly.

Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry attend commemorations for the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge on April 9, 2017 in Lille, France.

Bazen/Samir Hussein/WireImage

While several members of the royal family gathered at Sandringham to celebrate the holidays, it will be another Christmas in the US for the Sussex family of four, where they are likely to be joined by Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, in celebration.

PEOPLE reported last month that Harry, 40, and Meghan, 43, were not invited to Christmas at Sandringham this year because of strained relations between Harry and his father, King Charles, and brother, Prince William.

Another sticking point for Harry is safety for him and his family, including children Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 3, multiple sources told PEOPLE earlier this year.

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, attends the “Keynote: Breaking Barriers, Shaping Narratives: How Women Lead On and Off the Screen,” during the SXSW 2024 Conference and Festival at the Austin Convention Center on March 8, 2024 in Austin, Texas.

SUZANNE CORDEIRO/AFP/Getty

Meghan Markle says it gets better every year when it comes to holiday traditions with Prince Harry and their children

Harry last saw his father in February, shortly after Charles publicly announced his cancer diagnosis on February 5. Harry has returned to the UK several times since then, but has not met the king, and communication between the two has deteriorated since the February meeting. Those close to Harry say the monarch is no longer taking calls from his younger sons and is also not responding to his letters.

“He’s becoming ‘currently unavailable,’” a friend of Harry’s told PEOPLE earlier this year. “His calls are not answered. He tried to reach the king’s health, but there is no answer to those calls either.”

Sussex holiday card 2024.

Archewell

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Earlier this month, Prince Harry told Andrew Ross Sorkin on The New York Times DealBook Online Summit in New York about living in the US, “I really enjoy living here and bringing my kids here. It’s a part of my life I never thought I’d live.”

“I feel like it’s the life my mom wanted for me,” he added, referring to his late mother Princess Diana. “To be able to do things that I can do with my kids that I obviously wouldn’t be able to do in the UK — that’s huge. It’s a fantastic opportunity and I’m extremely grateful for it.”

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Source: HIS Education