Prince Harry and Prince Charles, Prince of Wales attend the Gurkha 200 Pageant in 2015 © Getty

Prince Harry set for big news as King Charles prepares to host Christmas for extended family

The Duke of Sussex is expected to spend the holidays at home in California

Content Managing Editor
December 13, 2023

This week marks an important time in the Duke of Sussex's calendar as he will hear the outcome of his unlawful information gathering claim against newspaper publisher, Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN), in a High Court ruling.

Mr Justice Fancourt, the judge who oversaw a trial of the claims earlier this year, is expected to give his ruling on Friday.

Prince Harry, 39, sued MGN for damages, claiming journalists at their titles including the Daily and Sunday Mirror and Sunday People were linked to methods including phone hacking, gaining information by deception, and the use of private investigators for unlawful activities.

Prince Harry has lost his bid to throw out Mail on Sunday publisher's defence to libel claim© Getty
Prince Harry is waiting to hear the outcome of his hacking trial case

Other famous faces who brought forward similar claims at the court hearing this year included actress Nikki Sanderson, Coronation Street star Michael Le Vell, and comedian Paul Whitehouse's ex-wife, Fiona Wightman.

The allegations span a period from as early as 1991 until at least 2011, the court heard.

The high-profile trial spanned seven weeks and concluded in June. Harry flew over from the US to spend eight hours of questioning in the witness box, over two days. 

Evidence was also heard from dozens of witnesses, including former journalists, editors, private investigators, and MGN executives. Other witnesses, such as the family, friends, and colleagues of those bringing cases against the publisher, submitted written testimonies.

MGN largely contested the claims, although they did admit to a small number of unlawful activity in relation to Prince Harry's case. The publisher apologised to the Duke and accepted they will be entitled to some damages.

See the one word Prince Harry said to press as he arrived at court in June:

Harry is expected to spend the festive season in California with his wife Meghan Markle and their two young children, Prince Archie, four, and Princess Lilibet, two. The Sussexes usually release an annual Christmas card, so fans are no doubt eagerly awaiting to see what photo the family have chosen to showcase this year.

Meanwhile, King Charles and Queen Camilla are preparing to host the royal family's traditional Christmas events. The monarch usually invites extended members of the royal family to a luncheon at Buckingham Palace in the week leading up to the 25th. It's a chance for the King and Queen to celebrate the festive season with relatives they won't see on Christmas Day itself, such as Zara and Mike Tindall and their children.

A more select group of royals, including the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Princess Royal, and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, then get together on Christmas Eve for a traditional dinner at Sandringham House, where they exchange low-key and often "jokey" gifts.

Members of The Firm usually arrive at Norfolk in the days leading up to Christmas and step out on 25 December for the church service and of course the public walk to St Mary Magdalene and the short walkabout afterwards.

© Getty
King Charles and Queen Camilla will be hosting Christmas again at Sandringham this year

This year, King Charles is expected to extend the Christmas Day luncheon invite to his wife Camilla's side of the family too, including her children and grandchildren – a first in royal history. 

According to ITV's royal editor Chris Ship, Christmas lunch will now reportedly be served in the larger ballroom of Sandringham House rather than the dining room, to accommodate the extra guests.

Camilla is mother to Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes from her previous marriage to Andrew Parker Bowles.

Tom shares daughter Lola and son Freddy with his former wife Sara Buys, while Laura and her husband Harry are parents to Eliza and twin sons, Gus and Louis.

Listen to A Right Royal Podcast as we decode the final season of The Crown:

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