I love the new photo of Charles with Archie - and also see more of a resemblance to Meghan in Archie there!

I love the photo of the three generations together for Charles' birthday. Sweet photo of them.

Video message of Prince Harry plays at Fourth Review Conference of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention in Oslo today.

Prince Harry was unable to attend the conference in person as he is on a break from engagements with his family.

https://mobile.twitter.com/Gertsroya...61483445690368

via Gert'sRoyals

So, it's official that he is currently 'on a break from engagements with his family'. Has it ever been officially confirmed by the BRF? It's the week of Thanksgiving, so I assume they left for the States already.

Yes it was officially confirmed by BP they were taking a break mid November for several weeks...they said they wouldn't say when/where they were going due to security reasons.

The whole going to the states thing was media generated. They could be going there or they could be meeting Doria at X location anywhere in the world.


LaRae

Honestly, I am not sure why it was necessary to say we are going on a break.

If I recall correctly, after the 2nd week of December you usually don't see the BRF on official engagements until early to mid January. And I am not counting the walk to church on Christmas Day as an official engagement. They simply cease to have engagements for about six weeks.

Only because they wouldn't be at Sandringham for Christmas. That seemed to be the main reason anything was said. Plus the media carrying on about it all.


LaRae

The Sussexes had no choice but to put everything on the slab about their break. If they didn’t, the press and folks online would’ve lost their minds on the lack of engagements and appearances from them. Since they were upfront about about their time off, no questions need to be asked and everyone knows what the deal is.

Agreed. One of my critiques of Harry and Meghan is they don't always manage info well. But announcing the break and Sandringham was smart IMO.

I think the announcement of the break and that they will not be at Sandringham--and how it was all done---was good and helped to stall what would have been weeks of ridiculous speculation by the media. The media had its hay (stupid and hypocritical as it was) about them not doing Sandringham, but have now largely moved on having exhausted the pits of inane commentary they could.

I don't have a link but I think the royal family released a statement that said they were on a break. I don't see the issue at all - William and Kate spent Christmas with their family in the past and why would anyone in the royal family care what they did for Thanksgiving? It's not a British holiday. My understanding is Doria is going to spend Thanksgiving at Frogmore with Harry, Meghan and Archie. I don't think they're going to the US for Christmas either but I have no proof of that - Doria might come for that but she didn't spend the last two Christmases with them so they might just spend it alone as a family.

That's really my only criticism of them too. I just think they need better PR people. They should look to PR people who deal with royals - they aren't celebrities and there's a BIG difference between a celebrity and a royal. The right PR person and all the negative publicity would go away.

Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have shared a new wedding portrait to celebrate their two year engagement announcement anniversary-
https://mobile.twitter.com/scobie/st...12591045677056

Other than they were on a break I didn't think anything had been confirmed with regards which country or who they would spend the holidays with. You could be correct of course that Doria is flying over to spend thanksgiving here, did you see this published somewhere?

Of course this is the decision taken. How much ever I sympathize with the D and Dss of Sx, I don't want them overshadowing the BRF Christmas thread.. Somehow it should be unique to the church walks, greetings etc. Not the pap pics of their US holiday n all.. JMO..

I think their PR people are doing a great job, especially staying on focus about their charities and patronages.

The problem is the British media, they want to be in control and use the Sussexes (and the BRF) as characters in a soap opera where they tell the narrative. If you don't do what they want then they write negative stories regardless if they are true or not...no PR can change that. Harry has seen the effects of playing that game and knows how dangerous it can be and doesn't want that for his family.

Did you have the same criticism when Kate and William spent Christmas in Buckleberry and their photos were taken at church with the kids?? Or is it just the American part that bothers you?

Harry and Meghan are in no way the first royal grandchildren to be away for Christmas. Or for their photos to be in newspapers on Christmas as well. The Cambridges spending with the Middletons twice. Zara and Mike in Australia. Some how the walk to church of the remaining BRF survived and still got the same PR as every other year.

The Archbishop of Canterbury discusses Harry & Meghan:

Start at 18:21
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p07w8635

Thanks Gawin, it was very interesting as indeed was the entire interview.

Eh, I'm sure it's a little invasive on my part but I do wonder what the Sussexes are doing for Thanksgiving. They put up a happy Thanksgiving post on their site which I won't bother to repost - it is included in the article I linked to. In my own defense I'm a big holiday nerd and I like to read what celebs do over the holidays, not just the royals. And my favorite times to royal watch are Christmas and Easter.


Anyway, Happy Thanksgiving to everyone in the US and here's a link to a Mail Online article speculating that they are in Canada. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/a...nksgiving.html