Having Harry and Meghan at Christmas 'a bit much' for 'exhausted' King Charles

Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle were not invited to spend Christmas with the royal family this year because it was too much drama for King Charles amid his bout with cancer, which has left him "exhausted," according to sources. 

According to People, the couple was not invited to Sandringham, the royal family’s country estate for the holidays this year. The outlet also said Harry and Meghan have not spent Christmas with the royal family since the year they married in 2018.

Instead, they are expected to remain in the U.S. for Christmas. They live in California with their two young children, Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 3.

Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty magazine, told Fox Digital that King Charles is "desperate" to see his grandchildren, but that he thought it was "too much" to extend the invite.

All about security

The chief demand of Harry and Meghan seems to be security--and that Buckingham Palace pay for that security.

Their security was rescinded when the couple decided not to be working royals, as well it should have been.

The UK should not be paying the costs of the Sussexes' security when they have chosen to live in the U.S. and not fulfill any royal duties.

While Harry and Meghan make a lot of income from writing bestselling books, acting and other pursuits, they apparently can't afford to pay for their own security--particularly when visiting the family home.

Causing a wedge

Apparently, the security issue has caused a wedge between Harry and his father, the king.

King Charles hasn't taken Harry's phone calls or responded to his letters for a while now, and the two are mostly estranged.

Back in May when Harry was in the UK for the Invictus Games, he wouldn't even stay in a royal residence because it didn't come with any security arrangements.

It seems that this perhaps goes too far; he is Charles's son, after all. It seems as though he should be entitled to at least some security while he is in England.

"When Harry came over here, his father didn’t have time to see him, which to you and I sounds awful," Seward explained. "But if you’ve got 20-minute appointments, you can’t just slot someone you haven’t seen for a few months into 10 minutes. It’s probably better just to be too busy."

Seward thinks they will eventually make amends because the king wants to see his grandchildren.