In 2017, Meghan Markle spent her first Christmas with the British royal family, just weeks after announcing her engagement to Prince Harry.
The experience marked a monumental step into her new life as a future duchess, and the festivities were nothing short of extraordinary.
Meghan Markle’s First Royal Christmas
Rather than staying at Sandringham House, the estate where Christmas celebrations traditionally take place, Meghan and Harry accepted an invitation from Prince William and Princess Catherine to stay at their country home, Anmer Hall.
This cozy setting allowed Meghan to experience royal traditions in a more intimate way.
The Christmas celebrations kicked off on Christmas Eve, a day steeped in royal traditions.
At 4 p.m., the family gathered in Sandringham’s wood-paneled drawing room for tea, featuring an impressive spread of sandwiches, scones, and cakes, paired with the Queen’s favorite teas.
Later, the group reconvened in the white drawing room to exchange gifts—a time-honored custom filled with laughter and humor.
Far from the grandiose gifts one might expect, the royals opted for quirky, humorous presents.
According to biographer Andrew Morton, Prince Harry once gifted Queen Elizabeth a shower cap with the phrase “Ain’t life a bitch” printed on it, while Meghan reportedly contributed a singing hamster that amused the Queen’s corgis.
For Meghan, this first Christmas with the royals felt like stepping into the kind of close-knit family gatherings she had always dreamed of.
In her Netflix documentary Harry & Meghan, she fondly recalled calling her mother and exclaiming, “Oh my gosh, it’s amazing. It’s just like a big family—like I always wanted.”
One particularly memorable moment came during dinner, where Meghan was seated next to Prince Philip.
Reflecting on the evening, she shared a humorous exchange with Harry, who later told her that Philip likely hadn’t heard much of what she said, as she had been talking to his “bad ear.”
Unlike other women who married into the royal family, Meghan was invited to spend Christmas at Sandringham months before her wedding. This unprecedented decision by Queen Elizabeth was widely seen as a personal gesture of welcome to the former actress.
Christmas Day began with breakfast at Anmer Hall, where Meghan joined Prince William, Princess Catherine, and their children, George and Charlotte, in opening gifts.
Later, she accompanied the royal family on their traditional walk to St. Mary Magdalene Church for the morning service.
Dressed elegantly in a beige wrap coat, Stuart Weitzman boots, and a custom Philip Treacy beret, Meghan looked every bit the part of a soon-to-be royal.
The day concluded with lunch back at Sandringham, where the family gathered to watch the Queen’s annual Christmas broadcast.
In her speech, the Queen made a heartfelt reference to “new members” of the family, a gesture interpreted as a nod to Meghan.