Harry and Meghan’s approach to Sandringham Christmas invitation is like a ‘school disco’, expert tells PALACE CONFIDENTIAL – as he suggests the Sussexes should make direct contact with the King

• Duke and Duchess of Sussex were branded ‘pathetic’ on Palace Confidential

• READ MORE: Harry and Meghan ‘would accept offer to spend Christmas with the royal family at Sandringham’

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s approach to Christmas invitations at Sandringham this year has been compared to an awkward ‘school disco’ encounter by a royal expert.

The Daily Mail’s Diary Editor Richard Eden added the couple’s presence around the Christmas table may make matters worse as ‘trust is a very big issue’ and warned that ‘all the tensions will be on show for the photographers’ if they attend.

Speaking on this week’s Palace Confidential, the Mail’s Diary Editor Richard Eden hit out at the duo following claims that the couple would would ‘not decline’ an offer to join His Majesty for the festive season.

‘This reminds me of the school disco, where if you’re not brave enough to ask a girl to a dance you say, “oh my mate fancies you” or whatever,’ he said.

‘We’re not hearing directly from Harry and Meghan, we’re hearing from friends.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been branded ‘pathetic’ following earlier reports by ‘friends of the Sussexes’ that the pair would ‘readily accept’ an invitation to Christmas at Sandrigham should one come. The couple pictured in September

‘So the story in the Sunday Times was that their friends are putting it out that they really would quite like to be invited to Sandringham at Christmas. I mean, come on, this is no way to operate, is it?’

He continued: ‘Perhaps they could invite the King to California or something, but… we’re getting this regular briefing now of what they’re saying their friends are saying. 

‘I don’t know if it’s because they’ve got these… Hollywood agents.’

The experts suggested a better way of going about Christmas invitations was for the Sussexes to make direct contact with other members of the Royal Family and say: ‘It would be lovely to see you this Christmas.’

He concluded: ‘Letting it be known through friends, I mean, it really does seem pathetic.’ 

However, the Daily Mail’s Royal Editor Rebecca English stressed that it may not be the right time for the couple to so publicly ‘force’ a reconciliation with The Firm.

‘Every sounding I’ve taken… no one can tell me 100% whether they’re going to be there or not be there, but they said plans are very much in place now and they don’t seem to figure,’ she told the programme.

‘But the point was made to me that they felt it would be unlikely anyone would welcome them with open arms.’

She said that ‘trust is still a very big issue’ because ‘so much water has gone under the bridge over recent years’. 

Speaking on this week’s Palace Confidential, the Mail’s Diary Editor Richard Eden (pictured) hit out at the duo following claims that the couple would would ‘not decline’ an offer to join His Majesty for the festive season

However, the Daily Mail’s Royal Editor Rebecca English (pictured) stressed that it may not be the right time for the couple to so publicly ‘force’ a reconciliation with The Firm

‘People have repeatedly made the point to me – it’s not that the King doesn’t want to build bridges with his son. He does at some point,’ she added.

‘But they feel… moves need to be made behind the scenes. And trying to involve them in a big public event like Christmas at Sandringham will just seem a little bit forced.’

Rebecca explained that ‘all the tensions will be on show for the photographers as they walk down to the church on Christmas morning’.

‘It just doesn’t seem to be the right event,’ she concluded.

Rebecca explained that ‘all the tensions will be on show for the photographers as they walk down to the church on Christmas morning’. The family pictured at Sandringham in 2018 

Sources also told The Times that the conversation could be a ‘turning point’ in the difficult relationship between the Sussexes and the King. Harry, Meghan and the late Prince Philip at Sandringham in 2017

The Mail on Sunday’s Royal Correspondent Natasha Livingstone added that fuelling all the more tensions to the rift is how rarely the King gets to see Harry and Meghan’s children, Archie and Lilibet. 

‘I think the fact that he’s seeing more of the grandchildren of the Prince and Princess of Wales is very much related to this,’ she said.

‘I mean, having such a painful family estrangement – he’s not seen Archie and Lilibet in a long time, it’s got to be linked.’

She explained that the King’s new routine is to go to Windsor on Friday evenings. 

‘He’s  just down the road from the Prince and Princess of Wales,’ Natasha added.

‘And he can spend more time with his grandchildren which is something he’s really keen to do and obviously is well received all round.’ 

During the episode, Richard also remarked on what he felt was the Duchess of Sussex’s ‘desperation to be on camera’.

Richard also commented on an ‘undignified’ moment Meghan was ‘shoved along’ on the red carpet at a Variety event she had attended in Los Angeles earlier this month

Queen Camilla and King Charles III pictured during a state banquet for the President of South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee

The expert stressed that had Meghan and Harry stuck with The Firm, they would have been involved in the pomp and pageantry of this week’s glitzy state visit from the President and First Lady of South Korea – which saw VIPs like iconic K-Pop group Blackpink visiting Buckingham Palace

‘She’s attending lots of events, it’s usually concerts performed by other people… or sporting events,’ he said. ‘It’s not really things that she’s doing… it’s quite odd.’

The expert stressed that had Meghan and Harry stuck with The Firm, they would have been involved in the pomp and pageantry of this week’s glitzy state visit from the President and First Lady of South Korea – which saw VIPs like iconic K-Pop group Blackpink visiting Buckingham Palace.

‘We’ve seen the sort of full splendour of the monarchy with the state visit – they really plough it on, and Catherine’s been looking magnificent,’ he added.

‘And if Harry and Meghan had stayed, they would’ve been an integral part of that. They would’ve been waiting for the president of Korea with William and Catherine.

‘Sophie wouldn’t have done that, that would’ve been Harry and Meghan as we saw in the past.’

Richard also commented on an ‘undignified’ moment Meghan was ‘shoved along’ on the red carpet at a Variety event she had attended in Los Angeles earlier this month. 

‘Normally these big names only turn up if they’re going to be given an award,’ he said.

‘There was nothing there for her particularly. But she was just sort of another celebrity on the red carpet.’

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