Although King Charles is likely to miss Archie and Lilibet, he will still have his hands full with the other children, including the Tindall and York children—Zara and Mike Tindall’s three kids, plus Princess Beatrice and Eugenie’s children.

With such a full house, this Christmas is expected to be chaotic, but as the royals know, children are the perfect antidote to family tensions, bringing joy, distraction, and healing.

Traditional events like the distribution of official Christmas cards, charity engagements, festive decorations at royal palaces, carol singing, and the pre-Christmas luncheon remain fixtures of the royal calendar.

These events are an opportunity for royals of all ranks to gather for a grand meal, a tradition once held at Buckingham Palace but now hosted at Windsor Castle.

Meanwhile, in California, Duchess Meghan has also offered a rare glimpse into her family’s holiday traditions. Speaking about Thanksgiving, she shared that their celebration at their Montecito home is typically a low-key affair, centered around family, friends, and creating magical memories for her children. Meghan emphasized the importance of enjoying good food, fun activities, and simply being together. She also revealed a special Thanksgiving moment when women’s rights advocate Gloria Steinem joined their celebration, saying, “We always ensure that there is room at the table for friends who don’t have family nearby.”

Despite their focus on a quieter and more private holiday season, Meghan and Harry did receive an invitation from Princess Diana’s brother, Charles Spencer, to spend Christmas at Althorp, the Spencer family estate in England. However, due to their ongoing strained relationship with the British royal family, they have not been invited to the annual Sandringham holiday gathering, reinforcing their decision to remain in the U.S. and create a more personal and joyful holiday for their children.