WEE ARCHIE’S FIRST CHRISTMAS
Hollywood’s goinggaga fortheboy
As the royal family’s youngest member, little Archie Sussex has received gifts from all over the world, from a stuffed kiwi to his very own Winnie-thePooh animation. But one thing the seven-month-old won’t be getting this year is a white Christmas.
Instead, the ginger-haired tot is set to spend his first Christmas on the beach in Los Angeles and rubbing shoulders with Hollywood heavyweights including Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts and Tom Hanks!
Royal watchers were shocked last month when it was announced that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were snubbing the Queen’s traditional family Christmas celebrations at Sandringham to spend Archie’s first Christmas with Meghan’s mum in the US.
But as the festive season approaches, an insider tells the royal couple can’t can t wait to
leave their ongoing feud with the Duke and the Duchess of Cambridge behind and chill in sunny California.
“The royal family has traditions galore,” spills the source. “But Meghan is really excited by the prospect of showing her boys all the festive traditions that she grew up with in LA. She wants Archie’s first Christmas to be extra-special.”
After deciding that Meghan’s childhood home was a huge security risk – given that it’s ungated and on a busy street – the couple are believed to have rented a “stunning home” close to the beach, where Meghan’s mum Doria Ragland, 63, and “a few other family members and friends” will join them for several days.
“Meghan’s already been planning a Christmas Eve party,” tells the source. “She’s invited some of her closest childhood friends to come and meet Archie for the first time. She’s bought him the most adorable Christmas jumper and plaid pants for the occasion.”
On Christmas morning, while the royal family attend their traditional church service, Meghan will be introducing Archie to her favourite festive ritual of taking the dogs for a long walk at Malibu.
And as for the little lad’s first Christmas feast, the source says the youngster, who now has two front teeth, has already started on solids and his parents are looking forward to watching him taste his first turkey.
“He will also be given all the other Christmas dishes Meghan and her mum love to cook, like their pumpkin and sweet potato mash. Archie will even get his first taste of sugar because Meghan says she can’t let him miss out on her famous gingerbread cookies.”
The couple, however, have drawn the line at expensive gifts. “They’ve told family and friends that a small toy or a book is all that’s necessary.”
It’s been a stressful year for Prince Harry, 35, and Meghan, 38, with the pair coming under fire for reportedly spending $4.5 million of British taxpayers’ money refurbishing Frogmore Cottage and for travelling extensively by private jet while at the same time preaching about the catastrophic effects of climate change.
Eyebrows were also raised when Meghan griped in the documentary Harry& Meghan:AnAfricanJourney that not many people had asked her how she was feeling – a departure from royal protocol to “never complain”.
But while the couple appear to have rubbed some Brits up the wrong way, the same cannot be said for Tinseltown, which can’t wait for the former Suits star and her prince to hit town for their six-week break.
Sources say the Sussexes’ close friends George and Amal Clooney are planning to host a big “Welcome to
LA” bash for the pair and have even let them create the guest list.
“Meghan’s counting on Brad Pitt being there, as well as Reese Witherspoon, Julia Roberts and Tom Hanks,” says the source. “Before Meghan married Harry, she was a minor celebrity. Now people are lining up to talk to her.”
Meanwhile, a palace source claims the Queen was heartbroken to miss out on Archie’s first Christmas and offered for Doria to join them at Sandringham. But Meghan declined.
“The Queen was crushed,” says the insider. “But Meghan felt it was important for Doria to enjoy Archie without the royal pomp.
“Harry is really excited about his first American Christmas – despite how surreal it will be watching his grandmother’s speech on TV thousands of miles away in sunny Malibu.”