Duke and Duchess of Sussex are living in Canada on their six-week break from royal duties. Pictured at the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are living in Canada on their six-week break from royal duties, the Mail can reveal.
Harry and Meghan flew with their eight-month-old son Archie across the Atlantic last month to a secret address, where they have been keeping a low profile ever since.
The duchess’s mother, Doria, has been visiting from LA – and will be spending Christmas with the couple – as well as a number of friends. Meghan, 38, lived in Toronto for seven years while working as an actress on the legal drama Suits.
Her close-knit group of friends in the country included fashion stylist Jessica Mulroney, her television presenter husband Ben and their three children, who all had roles at the royal wedding.
It comes as a video was shared today showing Prince Harry disguised as Santa Claus to send Christmas wishes to bereaved British Armed Forces children.
The Duke donned a red-and-white Santa hat and a beard in a one-minute video message which was screened at the Scotty’s Little Soldiers Christmas party on a boat on the River Thames.
The Duke donned a Santa hat and white beard in a one-minute video message to the Scotty’s Little Soldiers Christmas party
The Prince opened his message in the spirit of Father Christmas with a jolly ‘ho, ho, ho’.
In a heartfelt message the Duke said: ‘Yes, losing a parent is incredibly hard but I know that every single one of you by helping each other out that you will have an amazing future ahead of you and a fantastic Christmas as well.’
Meghan is also spending a great deal of time with her closest male confidant, Markus Anderson, of private members club group Soho House. Other friends from the US have been crossing the border to see them. Harry, 35, and his wife are understood to have felt they would have more chance of spending their time away from the UK undetected in Canada than in Meghan’s home country of America.
Meghan is also spending a great deal of time with her closest male confidant, Markus Anderson, (pictured left) of private members club group Soho House. Fashion stylist Jessica Mulroney and Meghan (right)
A friend said: ‘They have barely set foot outside the door and have been enjoying some quality family time together.’
Buckingham Palace had previously announced the Sussexes intended to take a six-week break from duties and would not spend Christmas at Sandringham with the Royal Family. In a November statement, an official said: ‘The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are looking forward to extended family time towards the end of this month. Having spent the last two Christmases at Sandringham, their royal highnesses will spend the holiday this year, as a new family, with the duchess’s mother Doria.
‘This decision is in line with precedent set previously by other members of the Royal Family and has the support of Her Majesty The Queen.’
The duchess’s mother, Doria (pictured), has been visiting from LA – and will be spending Christmas with the couple
The couple celebrated the birth of their first child Archie in May and undertook an official tour to South Africa (pictured)
Palace sources said at the time it was likely that they would be spending time in the US. But the Mail understands the family later decided to stay in Canada and will remain there until the New Year. A spokesman for the couple told the Mail yesterday that they would not discuss their ‘private travel plans’.
The couple have not been seen in public together since Remembrance Sunday, although Meghan has been posting regularly on the couple’s Instagram account. They may not return to the UK until as late as early January in order to launch their new charitable foundation after splitting from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Friends say the couple hope to return ‘re-energised’ after what has been a busy and emotional 2019. It saw the couple acrimoniously split their official household and charitable activities from that of William and Kate, moving their office to Buckingham Palace and their home to Frogmore Cottage at Windsor.
They also celebrated the birth of their first child Archie in May and undertook an official tour to South Africa.
The duke and duchess are said to feel ‘bruised’ after finding themselves the subject of public criticism over their use of private jets and ‘excessive’ demands for secrecy.
They have also launched legal action over what they perceive to be unfair treatment at the hands of the media.
Harry Christmas! Prince dresses as Santa to send message to bereaved British Forces children saying ‘your parents will never be forgotten and you will never be forgotten’
The Prince opened his message for the Scotty’s Little Soldiers Christmas party by saying: ‘I hear there are 190 of you there this year so please cause as much chaos as humanly possible.’
‘I also want to encourage you guys to look around and realise that you are part of a family.’
The Duke added: ‘Having met some of you a few years ago I know how incredibly strong you are.’
The Duke lifted his white Santa beard and said: ‘Have a fantastic Christmas and a happy new year’
Prince Harry also touched on the loss of losing a parent and how difficult it was at Christmas time
‘So yes, losing a parent is incredibly hard but I know that every single one of you by helping each other out that you will have an amazing future ahead of you and a fantastic Christmas as well.’
In a heartfelt ending he added: ‘Your parents, they will never be forgotten and you will never be forgotten. ‘
Full of festive spirit he said: ‘I really, really hope and I know that you will leave today with a huge smile on your face and for the younger ones of you probably covered in food as well.’
The children who are part of Scotty’s Little Soldiers were left speechless at the surprise message from Prince Harry
He then lifted his white Santa beard and said: ‘Have a fantastic Christmas and a happy new year.’
The party was on board a boat on the River Thames for children for children who had lost a parent who served in the British Armed Forces.
Nikki Scott, Founder of Scotty’s Little Soldiers said: ‘We’re so grateful to The Duke of Sussex for kindly recording a video message for the bereaved Forces children that attended the Scotty’s Little Soldiers Christmas party earlier this month.
‘It can be a difficult time of year for these kids, so receiving a heartfelt message from Prince Harry really meant the world to them.’
She added how the video link message took the children by surprise and their faces were ‘priceless’.
Mrs Scott, 38, set up the charity to provide support to children across the UK who have lost a parent in the British Armed Forces.
Her late husband, Corporal Lee Scott, was killed in Afghanistan in 2009, leaving behind their two children.
Children aged four to 18 travelled to London, courtesy of The Rail Delivery Group, with their parent and stayed in the capital the night before the festive celebrations began.
And as well as Prince Harry, the children were also treated to a video link from TV royalty with Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield sending in their Christmas wishes.
The fun-filled day included the children being told the Queen’s Crown Jewels has been stolen.
And to aid them on their mission to find the precious stones, the children were taken down the river by the Dixie Queen boat with Tower Bridge opening especially for them.
A Metropolitan Police boat also escorted them as the families completed tasks on board to solve the crime.
After the jewels has been found, a look-a-like Queen joined them and they were also congratulated by Father Christmas.
Scotty’s Little Soldiers was one of the seven charities chosen by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for donations following their wedding on May 19 2018.