Express: The Earl Spencer has invited the Sussexes to Christmas at Althorp

It feels way too early for the British tabloids to speculate about Prince Harry and Meghan’s Christmas plans, but here we are. I guess they punched themselves out about “Harry’s 40th birthday, what does he do all day?!?” Plus, it definitely threw them for a loop that Harry was able to breeze into England for a funeral and stay with the Earl Spencer at Althorp. We should not underestimate the anger and pillow-throwing about that in a couple of royal camps. Speaking of Althorp, the Express claims that the Earl Spencer has invited the Sussexes to stay with him over the Christmas holiday.

Meghan Markle could be set to spend Christmas with Prince Harry and their children in the UK this year, it has been claimed. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have reportedly received an invite to spend the festive period with Charles Spencer at Althorp, Express.co.uk has learned.

If the couple do accept the invite, it will be the first time Meghan has properly set foot in the UK since the late Queen’s funeral in 2022.

The source adds that Harry and Meghan have not yet received an invitation to join the Royal Family at their annual Sandringham gathering – and it’s not thought they would accept even if one was extended.

According to the Express, the source said: “Charles [Spencer] has invited Harry, Meghan and the children to Althorp this Christmas,” said the source. “It’s far too early to say whether they will take him up on it, but the offer is there if they want it.

“There hasn’t been an invitation extended to Sandringham just yet, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be one forthcoming. It would be highly unlikely if there was an invitation extended [to Sandringham] and I don’t think they [the Sussexes) would take them up on it anyway.”

[From The Express]

“There hasn’t been an invitation extended to Sandringham just yet, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be one forthcoming.” One, who cares? Two, there will be no invitation. But King Charles will make some noise about inviting the Sussexes, especially if Charles Spencer really did invite the Sussexes to Althorp. The king and the Prince of Wales are still pissed off that the Spencers showed up for Harry at the Invictus service back in May. They’ve been desperate to create a narrative that Harry and Meghan have been shunned by everyone. The Spencers making moves to protect the Sussexes blows up a lot of royal narratives. Good times. Now, would the Sussexes go to Althorp for the holidays? Probably not. Also: I still believe the theory that Charles Spencer spent Thanksgiving in Montecito last year.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.

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70 Responses to “Express: The Earl Spencer has invited the Sussexes to Christmas at Althorp”

  1. Tessa says:

    No way would Earl Spencer contact the media about “invites.”

    • BayTampaBay says:

      “Now, would the Sussexes go to Althorp for the holidays?”

      If Earl Spencer invites the Sussexes for Christmas, then I think they should go. Stay low profile during the visit. Then announce to the world they went after they have returned to Montecito.

      It would really blow all the fuses at The Fail, The Slow and The Dim.

      P.S. We really need to come up with a nickname for The Mirror!

      • Nanea says:

        The nicknames I’ve seen being used are Fail/Wail/Heil (for old Rothermere being chummy with Hitler/Nazis), Scum for Sun, Terror for Mirror — and Distress and Excess for Express, which I think is self-explanatory after the huge number of articles they used to post about Meghan that were listed on a Twitter thread some time ago.

      • Ennie says:

        You just know the media will be camped out in Althorp this year. They are throwing whatever to see if sticks.

      • Chrissy says:

        You forgot, them blowing their tops at Buckingham Palace!

      • DK says:

        I think if rumors of a Christmas visit are out already and continue to build steam through the fall (event though I think they’re totally made up rumors from the BM, just throwing all sorts at the wall to see what sticks – if it were true, no Spencers or Sussexes would be telling tales), then I think sadly H&M *won’t* show up bc they know the media will be keeping an eye out for their arrival and the danger inherent to visiting Salt Island will increase significantly.

        In fact, maybe that’s the goal of the BM? Claim these rumors now to ensure Harry can’t have a lovely family Christmas in England on the down low…

      • Christine says:

        I’m with you, DK,, their goal is to shut down any possibility that Harry and Meghan could spend any time in England over the holidays with the Spencers.

      • sunnyside up says:

        I’m afraid I have to agree. This will stop them coming if they intended to come, probably invented by the office boy.

    • sunnyside up says:

      Exactly, “It has been claimed” “Source” the DE’s get out clauses against being sued,

    • Hypocrisy says:

      I agree 100% with that, this is just the tabloids making up a narrative once again. If an invitation was extended the tabloids would be the last to know, the Spencer’s and the Sussex’s do not play that game.

    • Meredith says:

      Interesting leak if it happened. Maybe the Spencers realized they finally have a way to hurt and embarrass those that hurt Diana? Or maybe it’s just fake news.

    • They know nothing but they need to start sh*t so this seems like a good idea to them.

  2. Eurydice says:

    Hahahahahahahaha!!! H&M should do whatever makes them happy, but it would make me happy to see them spend Christmas at Althorp.

    • Saucy&Sassy says:

      Eurydice, I was thinking the same. What a great place to have Christmas with family and for the kids to get an inkling of their heritage. We’ll never know beforehand (or possibly afterwards) if they go somewhere in the UK for holidays.

    • Fallingleaves says:

      It would be a satisfying Uno Reverse for Harry and Meghan to invite the Spencers to Montecito for Christmas… All those paps parking themselves in front of Althorp only for the Spencers to spend it in California.

  3. Steph says:

    Does the UK have any holiday similar to American Thanksgiving?

    • BW says:

      No. I lived in England for years, and my mother would invite Brits over when we had Thanksgiving dinner, and have to explain it to them.

      • QuiteContrary says:

        Guy Fawkes Day is scary as hell. We went one year to the Bonfire Night in Lewes, Sussex, and the burning crosses and burning pope effigies freaked me the hell out.

        Especially because I was carrying a backpack that had the insignia of my American Catholic high school. (I had no clue what I was getting into LOL.)

    • sunnyside up says:

      Remember, remember the 5th November
      Gunpowder treason and plot
      I see no reason why gunpowder treason
      should ever be forgot. ….

      Not quite thanksgiving, but only we could celebrate
      someone trying to blow up Parliament.

      • equality says:

        Does seem odd. That would be like celebrating the storming of the capitol in the US. Of course, were Trump to win, it might be made a holiday.

      • Renae says:

        @Sunnyside: the 5th of November is also election day in the states (this year). Beware that powder, treason and plot!
        Will we make it till Thanksgiving?

      • Someone_Hears_a_Who says:

        You’re not celebrating the attempted blowing up of parliament though, you’re celebrating it not happening. November 5 had its origins as a day of thanksgiving for the plot being foiled.

  4. Dee(2) says:

    I literally don’t understand why we’re supposed to believe any of these stories. They didn’t even know he was in the country 2 weeks ago now they’re supposed to have the inside track on what people in the family are doing as far as invites? I also believe that Earl Spencer went last Thanksgiving, and I believe that his aunts have probably come frequently too. They are always on the back foot about who is doing what, before the documentary did any of them even know that Meghan was back in contact with her niece? Before HOI did they know that his friends have been out to visit him, or that he was scuba diving in Hawaii with Gabe? They never know anything.

    • Kittenmom says:

      I don’t remember this! Was there a report or sighting of him in California last Thanksgiving?

      • Dee(2) says:

        He posted something about being in Malibu. Which I mean is not confirmation, but since he seems to be on good terms with Harry it would be odd for him to have been in Malibu and not driven an hour north to montecito

  5. StillDouchesOfCambridge says:

    So you mean the Spencers are snubbing BBL Bald Bearded Lazy William and his forgotten wife and did not invite them over for xmas.

  6. Amy Bee says:

    I mean the press knows that King Charles is not going to invite Harry and Meghan for Christmas but they still want them to come over for Christmas. Now that they’ve remembered that Harry has family in the UK besides the Windsors they’ve pivoted to Charles Spencer inviting them. I think there’s a genuine open invitation from the Spencer’s but the issue of security is still unresolved so I don’t think this story is true. Plus I get the sense that Harry and Meghan enjoy spending Christmas in California rather the UK.

    • Becks1 says:

      I agree that I think there is probably an open invitation. Harry and Meghan know they can spend Christmas at Althorp if/when they want. And there is no invitation from Sandringham. So this feeds the media beast because now they can, once again, pit the Spencers against the Windsors.

      Meghan’s mom is in California along with many good friends so I have always thought they had a big California Christmas – I can see Meghan hosting a big open house or something.

      anyway this is just the press pivoting to what the Sussexes will do for christmas. then they’ll talk about Easter, then trooping, then Balmoral, then back to Christmas. Rinse and repeat.

    • Chrissy says:

      Yes, I imagine that they all want to spend time with Doria at Xmas time.

  7. Mina_Esq says:

    They are just playing the guessing game. Like, it’s plausible that Harry has an open invite to his uncle’s estate. The Sandringham stuff is hilarious. What person in their right mind would willingly choose to spend their Xmas holiday in a den of vipers? Just thinking about that toxic, rigid, awkward environment makes me sick. While the Brits do Xmas well, honestly so do Americans.

    • sunnyside up says:

      They don’t even sit down to a proper family christmas dinner, the children eat with the servants.

    • Merely me says:

      That wasn’t always Harry’s perspective— though den of vipers sounds accurate— don’t you remember him saying how thrilled he was to include only child Meghan in his warm, cozy, big close family Christmas celebration? I’m glad his eyes were opened to the vipers because it doesn’t always go down that way when a family rejects a spouse.

  8. Lau says:

    Yeah this is just the Windsors’ revenge starting to take shape. If they are this unhinged in September I can’t begin to imagine how bad it’ll get come December.

  9. Just Me says:

    Yes Eurydice, it would be a wonderful opportunity for Megahn and the children (and grandma Dora) to get to know that side of Harry’s family.

  10. aquarius64 says:

    The question should be why haven’t the Waleses spent time with Spencers? Do the Wales kids spend time with them? I think the Spencers don’t like what William has become (and they don’t like Kate and her family).

  11. everkleer says:

    This is just click-baity speculation to get traffic on sites and online newspapers to make money on ads.

  12. Maxine Branch says:

    Those gutter rats are creating their own narrative re the Spenser’s and the Sussexes Christmas to have another narrative to write insisting the Sussexes declined. We know their hand. As Meghan mentioned before, they have started their own family tradition with their children. I kinda doubt they would leave Southern California for a winter Christmas in the UK. Although I can believe they have an open ended invitation to visit Althorp. And vice versa for the Spenser family.

  13. Flowerlake says:

    Nice!

    I love that they’re getting closer and being so more openly. Also nice to have family that supports them.

  14. Jeanette says:

    Never noticed until now how much Harry favors his uncle. He has his nose.

  15. Pebbles says:

    This article is a fishing expedition. They don’t know but they want either the Spencer’s or Sussex reps to confirm or deny.

  16. Mel says:

    I hope they go and there’s TONS of pictures of the Earl playing with his great niece and nephew. Uncle -Grandpa if you will. It will KILL them. The salt and bitterness will be extreme but hilarious.

  17. Kelsey says:

    They’re doing this because if they make a big enough stink they think any POSSIBLE Spencer Christmas invite will be denied or declined for security concerns. They think if they keep their shark noses towards the Spencers and watch them closer they’ll either A) Be able to get those rent-paying long lensed photos of Meghan in the UK and have a media circus or B) They don’t want the Sussexes to feel like they have a single “safe space” in the UK to visit so they’ll discourage them from coming.

    Just for this I hope we get pics of the entire Spencer clan in Monticeto, beaming in front of The Sussexes’ Christmas tree, and I hope we don’t even get those pics until March of 2025. Lmao.

  18. L4Frimaire says:

    The first words in that article was Meghan Markle. Really? Can they ever not mention ber name over there. The usual “ it is assumed” speculation. They have no idea. Can we at least get pumpkin spice season started before talking about Christmas. This is so clickbaity. Good grief.

  19. Athena says:

    Can anyone confirm a fire on the Spencer estate, happening now or happened earlier today?

    Wondering if there’s a connection between that and this so called Christmas invite.

    • MsIam says:

      There are videos of it on YouTube. And supposedly some teenagers with masks were seen running from the area right before the fire broke out. Loud bangs were heard too. Was a message being sent to Earl Spencer? Seems like an awfully convenient coincidence.

    • BeanieBean says:

      Yes, check the BBC news. Happened two days ago; per the article, it was an empty industrial unit about two miles from the big house.

  20. Jackson says:

    I’ve wondered about this before, is Althorp not a secure location where they could stay/visit while in the UK? I have no idea if it is, but it seems like a nice place for the family to visit and re-connect.

    • Sid says:

      I think the issue is that they cannot have armed security or the necessary info unless it is linked to the ratchet royals. I imagine it is manageable when it is just Harry and his security guys only have to concentrate on him. Being unarmed is not ideal, but I assume they can manage. The equation changes a lot when you add in Meghan and two small children. Plus the fact that Meghan is the one the rota rats villified and helped stir up rabid crazies against her.

      • Gtwiecz says:

        And imagine how those nutcases will do everything possible to get pictures of the children.

      • sunnyside up says:

        The best security that Harry had, was the fact that the press didn’t know he was coming. Doubt that that would work again.

  21. Is that so? says:

    I think the BRITiSH media was caught flat-footed by Harry staying with his uncle at Althorp. This is their way off blocking his bolthole so that Harry won’t be able to stealthy visit Diana’s family in England, especially not with Meghan and the kids. The BM will have someone on guard there. Or bribe someone to tip them off if he shows up.

    Louis Spencer, Viscount Althorp looks a lot like Harry in some pictures.
    https://www.marieclaire.com/celebrity/a26178063/who-is-louis-spencer-prince-harry-cousin/

  22. Oh come on. says:

    Please. Can you imagine the media stakeout at Althorp? They are not coming. And if they were coming—as we just saw—the British media would not receive any heads-up.

  23. QuiteContrary says:

    I think this is fake news, but I also think Christmas at Althorp would be a lot more fun than Christmas at Sandringham.

  24. SarahCS says:

    Do I think this is based on anything beyond sheer speculation? Nope.

    Do I think it’s possible Charles S has given H&M an open invite generally and said if you ever did want to come for Christmas you’d be more than welcome? Totally.

    Do I think they’ll come unless they can do it totally incognito and no-one knows until after they leave? No.

  25. Anna says:

    Saw this shared from twitter (never calling it x lol) but apparently there’s been a fire at Althorp just a few days after it was reported that Harry had stayed there???

    https://x.com/cspencer1508/status/1832826455169916989?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1832836956411048259%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es3_&ref_url=

  26. matthew says:

    Windsors are triggered by Spencers in ways we cannot fathom

  27. Debbie says:

    To me, this is like their “The queen will invite the Sussexes to Christmas with her” stories the BM used to peddle repeatedly.

  28. Wendy says:

    Okay.. this has nothing to do with the article above but I just want to say I went to a TIFF Event last night for the British Singer Robbie Williams who has a Biopic Movie coming out ( Better Man ) about his life and rise the fame. Anyhoo I was invited to the afterparty for drinks.. ( MY sisters connections..lol. ) and I saw this beautiful lady in the washroom. Told her she was pretty and then she said ” Aren’t you Wendy , Denosh’s sister. I said ” Yes” she said don’t you remember me.. its Tracy. Omg omg why didn’t I realize this was Tracy Robbins. Her husband is Brian Robbins( Head of Paramount Global Pictures ). They are the ones that invited Harry and Meghan to Jamaica for the One Love premiere. Didn’t realize it was the same person ..duh ( since I only met her like 2x in my life . So I asked my sister this morning ( She lives in Amsterdam ) how does Tracy know me and she said I met her in LA over 14 years ago.

    Anyhow long story longer.. I felt a connection to Harry and Meghan when I hugged her and held her hands. OMG I wanted to say, ” Thank you for supporting The Duke and Duchess” I had so many questions but of course I’m not crazy or rude.. so I didn’t ask her anything. Besides my sister would literally KILL Me. .. Cheers

  29. Criti Calthinking says:

    Opposite Day- Lady Jane has been invited to spend her first Christmas without her husband in sunny California with her nephew and his family. H&M offered to shower her with love, sunshine, adorable kiddie hugs and good ol’ American holiday grub.

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