In December 2017, Prince Harry’s reflections on Meghan Markle’s first Christmas with the Royal Family were kind, inclusive, and joyous. Harry reflected on the joyous time he and Meghan had recently spent in Sandringham while guest-editing the Today show on BBC Radio 4. He referred to the Royal Family as “the family Meghan never had” in the interview.
The remark was mainly taken as a loving assessment at the time. In the years that have passed, it has come to be seen as one of the first public events that changed how Meghan’s family connections were seen by both the general public and her own relatives. Because of the subsequent events—increasing separation, public family conflicts, and parallel rifts in Meghan’s connection with her own family and the British monarchy the comment is still brought up almost eight years later.
Examining the context in which the statement was made, when it was released, and the confirmed subsequent events are necessary to comprehend why it still has significance.
A Christmas Greeting That Silently Disregarded Royal Custom
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced their engagement in November 2017. Meghan and Harry celebrated Christmas in Sandringham shortly after. The couple’s first Christmas together was first kept under wraps, occurring out of the public eye before any information surfaced, even though the visit was subsequently extensively covered.
Meghan defied royal custom by showing up. She had not yet tied the knot and had not taken on any formal royal duties. Her attendance to Sandringham is exceptional because only married members of the Royal Family are normally allowed.
Later, the invitation was presented in the media as an unambiguous endorsement from Queen Elizabeth II and the larger family. Meghan was seen as someone who had already been accepted into the royal family rather than as a short-term visitor.
Meghan had great things to say about the event years later. She called her first Sandringham Christmas “amazing” and that it was like being a member of a big family in the 2022 Netflix documentary Harry & Meghan. She recalls having a lively and entertaining chat with Prince Philip as they were seated next to each other at the Christmas Eve meal. She also recalled calling her mother, Doria Ragland, to express her feelings of acceptance.
There was no indication at the time that Meghan’s personal family life was tense.
The Impact of the BBC Radio 4 Interview
Prince Harry made an appearance on BBC Radio 4’s Today show, where he was guest-editing, on December 27, 2017, a few days after returning from Sandringham. He talked lovingly of the family events and complimented Meghan’s transition to royal life as he thought back on the Christmas season.
His family had “loved having her,” Meghan had done a “fantastic job,” and the Christmas celebrations had been “fantastic,” he added. He called the Royal Family “the family Meghan never had” throughout this conversation.
The comment’s timing turned out to be important. It was broadcast at a period of strong public interest in Meghan’s first royal Christmas. Within hours, the remark influenced headlines and became the most extensively publicised aspect of the interview.
Some saw the comment as a figure of speech, but others saw it as suggesting that Meghan didn’t come from a loving home before becoming a royal.
Meghan’s family’s prompt response
Meghan’s family responded right away. Samantha Grant, her half-sister, strongly disagreed with Harry’s remark and questioned its implications on social media.
Their home had been “very normal,” Samantha said. She said that the family made sure Meghan grew up safely between two houses after their parents’ divorce. Samantha said that Meghan had only been preoccupied with her work and that no one had been alienated.
Meghan has “always had this family,” she remarked, emphasising that marriage should expand a family rather than replace one. Samantha also gave their father, Thomas Markle, high marks, characterising him as utterly selfless and very encouraging of Meghan’s goals.
Samantha said in subsequent interviews that she thought Prince Harry had not been fully informed about Meghan’s childhood. She said that Harry’s comment was the catalyst for the conflict with her sister and that it marked the public change in the family narrative.
The Background of Meghan Markle’s Family
Doria Ragland and Thomas Markle are the parents of Meghan Markle. When she was six years old, her parents were divorced. Samantha Grant and Thomas Markle Jr. are her father’s first-marriage half-siblings.
Meghan and her father had a strong connection for many years, according to public sources and Meghan’s own prior writing. Meghan’s relationship with her immediate family was not widely known to be strained before her engagement.
On her now-defunct lifestyle blog The Tig, Meghan published a Father’s Day ode to Thomas Markle in 2014, calling him introspective, inspirational, and diligent. She appreciated the sacrifices he made throughout her childhood and gave him credit for believing in her goals before she did.
The subsequent disintegration would contrast sharply with that public adoration.
From Dispute To Public Conflict
The dispute that resulted from Harry’s 2017 remark has intensified into a fully visible quarrel by 2019.
Samantha Grant said that she noticed the Royal Family’s past was being publicly reframed in March of that year when Harry referred to them as “the family Meghan never had.” She said that it gave her the impression that Meghan had let a false representation of her childhood to remain uncontested.
Samantha accused Meghan of alienating the family in the Channel 5 documentary Meghan and the Markles: A Family at War, saying it seemed like she was no longer interacting with them. The family may not have been together for every holiday, she said, but the emotional connection had been there.
The Markle family conflict started to appear often in British media after then.
The nuptials and a noticeable split from her father
Prior to Meghan’s May 2018 wedding, the disintegration of her relationship with her father became blatantly visible to the public.
In the vicinity of his Mexican property, Thomas Markle produced paparazzi photos, which drew harsh criticism. He had two heart attacks soon after, both of which happened just before the wedding. He was immediately unable to fly to the UK due to these medical crises.
Consequently, Thomas Markle did not escort Meghan down the aisle or attend the wedding. Rather, Meghan walked a portion of the aisle alone herself until Prince Charles now King Charles III, joined her. Meghan requested to “meet halfway,” which is seen as a sign of royal support, according to royal biographer Robert Hardman.
Since the wedding, Meghan has not seen her father in person.
Unmet family members and years of estrangement
Meghan and Thomas Markle have not spoken since 2018. Meghan, who is now 44, has not spoken to him face-to-face and is reportedly not planning a visit.
In public, Thomas Markle has declared his love for his daughter, his unwavering devotion to her, and his desire for reconciliation. He has said that he would want to meet his grandkids and does not want to pass away apart from Meghan.
The four-year-old Princess Lilibet and the six-year-old Prince Archie have never met their maternal grandpa. Although it “might be nice” to meet his son-in-law someday, Thomas Markle has publicly acknowledged that he has never met Prince Harry.
Changes in 2025
Thomas Markle, aged 81, was hospitalised in the Philippines in late 2025 and had a leg amputation that saved his life.
Meghan reportedly had no intention of paying him a visit. She wrote a hand-delivered letter after failing to get through to him by phone or email. Later, a representative attested to the letter’s safe delivery to him.
According to reports, Meghan thinks reconciliation is improbable because of her father’s continued engagement with the media. According on the most recent information, no response has been obtained.
Speaking from his hospital bed, Thomas Markle reaffirmed his desire to see his grandkids and talk to his daughter and her husband. He also said that he was still open to reconciliation.
A Separation From The Royal Family in Parallel
Meghan’s early royal encounters were cordial, in stark contrast to what happened later.
During her 2017 Christmas programme, Queen Elizabeth II remarked of welcome “new members” into the family while holding up a framed picture of Harry and Meghan.
In 2018, Meghan went to the Sandringham Christmas festivities once again, but this time she was pregnant and married to Harry.
Megxit was the name given to Harry and Meghan’s announcement at the beginning of 2020 that they would leave their positions as senior working royals and move to North America.
The Sussexes haven’t spent Christmas at Sandringham since. During the 2025 holiday season, Harry will be away from Sandringham for the sixth year in a row and for the seventh time overall. On the other hand, it is anticipated that Prince William would spend Christmas in Sandringham with King Charles, Princess Kate, and their kids.
Californian Life and Family Thoughts
Currently, Harry and Meghan are raising their kids in Montecito, California. Meghan often spends Christmas there with her mother, Doria Ragland.
Meghan’s Netflix series With Love, Meghan had a joyous episode in December 2025. Family customs, handwritten messages for her kids’ advent calendars, and the value of developing individual rituals that represent shared history were the main topics of the episode.
Alongside public knowledge of Harry’s estrangement from his UK kin, these family-related thoughts have persisted.
Why The Remark From 2017 Is Still Relevant
Prince Harry’s 2017 speech is still being discussed in public, with reader surveys and comments often posing the question of whether it was inappropriate or unjustly harmed relationships.
What was formerly described as warmth has come to represent a time when intimate family interactions were made public. The statement now lies at the nexus of Meghan’s subsequent split from the Royal Family and her alienation from her own family.
Conclusion
The effects of Prince Harry’s statement that the Royal Family is “the family Meghan never had” are still evident almost eight years later. Even if the comment was made without seeming to be malicious, it changed people’s perspectives and widened already-existing gaps.
It serves as a warning that statements made on a worldwide platform may have lasting effects, especially when family ties are involved.
FAQs
Are Harry and Meghan expecting a new baby?
There is no public or verified information confirming that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are expecting another child. The couple have not announced a pregnancy, and no credible reporting supports this claim.
What serious illness does Meghan Markle have?
Meghan Markle has not publicly disclosed any serious illness. While she has spoken openly in the past about mental health challenges related to stress and public scrutiny, there is no verified report of a serious medical condition.
Is Lilibet Harry’s baby?
Yes. Princess Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor is Prince Harry’s daughter. She was born in June 2021 in California to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
What is happening with Prince Harry and Meghan?
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle live in Montecito, California, after stepping back from senior royal duties in 2020. They are raising their two children, working on media projects, and remain estranged from much of the Royal Family, including spending Christmas away from the UK.
How many babies does Meghan Markle have?
Meghan Markle has two children:
- Prince Archie, born in 2019
- Princess Lilibet, born in 2021
Did Prince Harry have a third child with Meghan?
No. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have only two children. There is no evidence or public announcement confirming a third child.
Has Meghan Markle lost a baby?
Yes. Meghan Markle has publicly shared that she experienced a miscarriage in 2020, which she wrote about in a personal essay. This information is confirmed and was shared by Meghan herself.
Who is no longer friends with Meghan Markle?
Meghan Markle is reported to have distanced relationships with several people from her past, including some former friends and family members. However, specific friendship breakdowns are rarely confirmed publicly, and Meghan has not detailed these relationships herself.
Who is the most unpopular member of the Royal Family?
Public opinion on the Royal Family changes over time and varies by country. Polling often shows differing results depending on the period and audience. There is no official or permanent ranking, and popularity fluctuates with events and media coverage.
