The Duchess of Sussex has offered a rare and intimate glimpse into her family's festive life with the premiere of her new Netflix holiday special. 'With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration', a 56-minute one-off episode, sees Meghan Markle sharing her personal Christmas preparations, traditions learned from her time in the UK, and tender moments with Prince Harry.
A Peek Inside the Sussex Family Christmas
In the programme, Meghan details the thoughtful touches she incorporates for her husband and their two children, Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, four. She crafts handmade Christmas crackers, filling them with personalised gifts. For Lilibet, she includes a lavender roll-on scent, noting her daughter "really likes trying to be a grown-up lady at the moment." For Archie, who "loves the colour red," she adds a tiny toy burger and fries.
Most notably, for Prince Harry, she writes a "little love letter" and labels his cracker "My Love" rather than using his name. The Duchess fondly recalls learning the British tradition of crossing arms to pull crackers around the table, describing it as a "connected and sweet" custom.
Harry's Cameo and Culinary Confessions
The Duke of Sussex makes a warm, informal cameo, entering the kitchen as Meghan and guest chef Tom Colicchio cook. He greets his wife with a kiss and samples a gumbo, a dish inspired by Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland. Harry cheekily declares Meghan's version is not quite as good as her mother's, prompting a playful, shocked reaction from the Duchess.
In a humorous moment, Harry comes face-to-face with a beetroot salad containing many of his disliked ingredients—beets, black olives, fennel, and anchovies. He jokes, "That's like the anti-salad... Me and the salad, we're having like this sort of eye-off."
Festive Philosophy and Practical Tips
Throughout the episode, Meghan advocates for a joyful but pressure-free approach to the season. She urges viewers to try to make "every day" of December special but cautions, "don't feel like you have to do it all." She shares numerous styling tips, from using wax seals on gifts for an "elevated" look to the Japanese furoshiki method of wrapping bottles with a scarf.
On tree decorating, she advises placing ornaments where they will "find their light" and speaks emotionally about how a Christmas tree can "encapsulate your family story" and "the different chapters of your life."
The special aired on a significant day in the royal calendar, coinciding with the King and Queen hosting a German state visit and the Princess of Wales publishing a personal letter about her annual carol concert. The Sussexes have not spent Christmas at the royal Sandringham estate since 2018, having stepped down as senior working royals in 2020. This programme marks their first major content release under a new, revised deal with Netflix, signed in August.
