As the year winds down and every house on the block glows brighter than a disco ball, the air is about to get a whiff of gingerbread and plum cake magic. Over in Montecito, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s pad will no doubt join the holiday glow-up, but as is tradition, this season comes with its own frosty royal edition of no-thank-you gift. Since the Duke and the Duchess swapped Buckingham for California dreaming, their festive seasons have been no less than snowstorms. 

This year, another yuletide calls for another royal cold shoulder neatly wrapped in addition to their calendar years of estrangement.

According to a source speaking with PEOPLE recently, the Duke and the Duchess have not received an invitation to this year’s royal Christmas gathering at Sandringham. While festivities are all about traditions, the royal rift plays by the book, adding another year to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s festive season away from home. Markle and the Prince have not joined the royal family for Christmas since 2018.

Although Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace have not commented on the Christmas guest list, Prince William, Kate Middleton, and their three children are reportedly set to enjoy the day at Sandringham. The royal fans thought the Prince’s yearning for home would work like baby steps toward reconciliation, but the festive air paints a completely different picture. While Markle recently spilled the beans about how special the holiday spirit is for the Sussexes, more recent reports bring forward upset updates.

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In fact, a separate source claims the upcoming holiday season could turn out to be quite a “bittersweet” experience for them.

Meghan Markle spoke with Marie Claire in a recent interview, highlighting that Christmas gets all the better each year with the Sussexes. However, according to a source speaking with OK! Magazine, the festive season may be a little tinged with sadness following the repetitive royal snubs. Since festivity is all about traditions, Christmas serves as a reminder for Prince Harry that his family is not by his side. 

As another year threatens to slip away without their children mingling with their cousins, it could be a royal ache to witness the family united except for them. For Markle, the holidays center on her mother, but the shadow of estrangement from her father also reportedly cast a “bittersweet” cloud over the season. While the Duchess typically loves reveling in holiday cheer, these reports leave a lingering worry about whether the festivities will be overshadowed by yet another royal brush-off, turning the season of merry into one of melancholy.

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What do you think of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Christmas far from the royal corridors? Let us know in the comments below!