Looks like Doria Ragland won’t be celebrating Christmas with the Royal Family after all
Although the Royal Family has many traditions to follow, the Queen has famously made exceptions for Prince Harry’s new wife, Duchess Meghan.
Last year, the 37-year-old former actress was allowed to attend Christmas with royals even though traditionally only those who were already married into the clan received an invite from the Queen.
An insider told Us Weekly at the time: “Attending as a fiancée is a first for the family. Given that Meghan doesn’t have family in the UK, it’s only right that she spends Christmas with Harry and his.”
As the Queen had previously been lenient with bending the Christmas rules for Meghan, it seemed believable when previous reports claimed her mother, Doria Ragland, had been invited to Sandringham to join the royals.
A senior source told Daily Express: “It’s a mark of the Queen’s respect for Meghan and an acknowledgement that she doesn’t have any other relations in this country — unlike Kate who has the support of a very close family.”
However, now royal correspondent Victoria Murphy has gone on record to dispute the unconfirmed claims in a new interview.
Speaking to Yahoo UK’s The Royal Fox, she said: “My understanding is that she’s not going. I don’t think that’s because they weren’t able to or anything like that, I just think it’s not usual for in-laws to go ... I know it was suggested that she was going to go, but that was never confirmed.”
Although Doria will not be joining the royals for Christmas, she is expected to spend more time with her daughter as Meghan prepares to welcome her first baby into the world.
Doria, who will become a grandmother for the first time in spring, will have rooms set aside for her in the couple’s new home, Frogmore Cottage.
However, it is believed that Doria will not be making a permanent move to the Windsor Castle estate as she continues to travel between the UK and the United States.