Prince Harry is maintaining one of the royal family’s oldest Christmas traditions for his children, Archie and Lilibet, despite now living thousands of miles from his homeland and being estranged from The Firm, OK! can reveal.
Even after stepping back from royal duties and relocating to California with his wife, Meghan Markle, 44, the Duke of Sussex, 41, has continued the Windsor family custom of opening presents on Christmas Eve – a practice dating back to Queen Victoria‘s reign in the 19th century.
Sources say Harry views it as a way to pass on a sense of royal heritage to his children – while others say it is a “heartbreaking” signal he pines for his home and family.
One royal insider added: “For Harry, the tradition is definitely more than presents. It’s a way to stay connected to his own childhood and pass on the customs of his grandparents and great-grandparents. Even in California, he wants Archie and Lilibet to feel that same sense of family and continuity.”
The tradition, which originated in Germany and spread across several European royal houses, including Sweden and Norway, emphasizes opening gifts on December 24 rather than on Christmas Day.
Harry referenced it in his memoir, Spare, noting: “We FaceTimed with several friends, including a few in Britain. We watched Archie running around the tree. And we opened presents. Keeping to the Windsor family tradition.”
Friends of the Sussexes have described the Duke’s efforts as both nostalgic and deliberate.
One source familiar with the family’s planned California-based festive celebrations said: “Harry has always valued these little rituals. Seeing his children enjoy the same traditions he grew up with brings him joy. It’s his way of keeping the family bond alive, even from afar.”
The tradition is also accompanied by a preference for small, humorous, or inexpensive gifts, rather than extravagant purchases.
Harry has recounted receiving a Christmas ornament of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, from Meghan in 2020.
He said in Spare: “I roared. What the-? Meg had spotted it in a local store and thought I might like it. I held it to the light. It made me happy to see her there. It made Meg and me smile.”
The ornament, however, was soon broken when a then 1-year-old Archie jostled the stand.
Sources also say Harry encourages a playful approach with Archie, 6, and Lilibet, 4, allowing for a “free-for-all” style of gift opening, similar to the way he remembers celebrating Christmas with his siblings and parents in Britain.
Harry has recounted: “By custom, at the start of the night, each of us located our place, stood before our mound of presents. Then suddenly, everyone began opening at the same time. “A free-for-all, with scores of family members talking at once and pulling at bows and tearing at wrapping paper.”
Another palace insider highlighted the significance of Harry’s present-opening tradition beyond the gifts themselves.
The source said: “It’s about family, laughter, and shared moments, not material things. Harry wants his children to learn the joy of connection and tradition. That continuity is both heartbreaking and beautiful, given how far he and his children are from the U.K. and the rest of the family. The Duke’s dedication to this tradition shows his determination to keep a link between the next generation and the wider royal heritage, even as he continues to try and build his own life in California without the royals.”
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