Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are reportedly planning to fly back to California with their children for Christmas, despite having relocated to the UK just two months earlier.
A close friend of the pair told the Daily Mail that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are set to spend the festive season at their multi-million-pound Montecito mansion in California.
The insider claimed Harry and Meghan are trying to "keep their heads down between now and Christmas, when they will go back to California for the holidays".
Return to the UK
The Sussexes made an unexpected return to the UK from California in late August. They stepped away from royal duties six years ago and continue as non-working members of the Royal Family.
Theories about their homecoming have ranged from a desire for their children to build stronger bonds with their grandfather, King Charles III, to speculation that Meghan might be considering a return to acting.
Before their relocation, the King was reportedly delighted at the prospect of spending more quality time with his family. However, he remained firm that Harry and Meghan would not resume their roles as working royals.
Christmas plans and school holidays
The Royal Family traditionally celebrates December at the monarch's Sandringham estate in Norfolk. Yet the report indicates the Sussexes will mark Christmas in California rather than joining the usual gathering.
Harry and Meghan are also said to be planning to split school breaks and half-term holidays between California and Portugal. This follows a statement from a spokesperson for the pair criticising international paparazzi who were spotted looking into the grounds of Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet's school in the UK last month.
Two young men carrying rucksacks and travelling in a white van were allegedly seen by private security staff and school personnel wandering around the school's perimeter and observing children.
The spokesperson described the incident as an "unacceptable intrusion into the privacy of children" and an "irresponsible and ill-considered" way to behave near a school.
