Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex will spend their winter holiday this year in Canada.
A spokesperson for the Sussexes confirmed their travel plans to TODAY Friday night.
“The decision to base themselves in Canada reflects the importance of this Commonwealth country to them both,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “The Duke of Sussex has been a frequent visitor to Canada over many years, and it was also home to The Duchess for seven years before she became a member of the Royal Family.”
The spokesperson said they would not elaborate on where in Canada the couple will be staying for safety reasons.
News broke earlier this year that the royal couple did not plan to spend Christmas with the queen at the Sandringham estate.
Instead, they will spend the holiday with Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, a spokesperson confirmed in November. The two have spent their last two Christmases at Sandringham.
“This decision is in line with precedent set previously by other members of the Royal Family, and has the support of Her Majesty The Queen,” a statement said at the time.
This Christmas will mark only the second time Harry has skipped the family gathering at Sandringham. The first was in 2012 when he was deployed in Afghanistan.
The royal family has a long tradition of spending Christmas at the estate, where cameras capture their walk to mass every year.
Instead, Harry and Meghan will privately enjoy the holiday with Ragland in the company of our neighbors to the north.
“They are enjoying sharing the warmth of the Canadian people and the beauty of the landscape with their young son,” their spokesperson said in a statement on Friday.
