Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Alahna Kindred

First sign of Fab Four fallout was separate Christmas parties, Netflix doc reveals

The first sign of the Fab Four fallout between Prince Harry, Prince William, Princess Kate and Meghan Markle was when they had separate Christmas parties and seven months after the Sussex's wedding.

The Sussexes and now-Waleses had two separate Christmas parties in December 2018.

At the time, it was reported how Meghan and Prince Harry opted to stay with at the Queen's Sandringham estate "packed like sardines" rather than stay with William and Kate in their 10-bedroom home nearby.

However, it wasn't until May 2019 - five months later - that Harry and Meghan were reported as splitting from William and Kate's household.

The 'Fab Four' on Christmas Day in 2018 (PA)

James Holt, executive director of the couple’s Archewell Foundation, revealed a festive celebration due to be hosted by Kensington Palace for William, Kate, Harry, Meghan and their staff ended up as two parties.

Mr Holt, who was at the time head of communications for the Royal Foundation, said in the couple's Netflix documentary: “Every year Kensington Palace hosts a Christmas party for the principals and the staff.

“And so we were gearing for one big party and very shortly before the party, it became two parties.”

The Princess of Wales, the Prince of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex walk to meet members of the public at Windsor Castle (PA)

He added: “Actually that was the point that you realised that these offices are separating.”

At the time, speculation was rife about the 'Fab Four' even though they still appeared walking together to the church at Sandringham as they spent Christmas Day with the rest of the royal family.

In June 2019, the Sussexes announced they would launch their own foundation which known as Archewell.

In early 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped back from their roles as senior royals.

It comes after the Sussex couple revealed that only Harry would fly back to the UK for King Charles's Coronation in two weeks' time, while the Duchess of Sussex would remain at home in California with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

Harry will attend the service at Westminster Abbey on May 6, where his father will officially be crowned monarch, but is expected to snub the Coronation concert at Windsor Castle and post-Coronation events.

Now, a new poll showed that just 14% of people surveyed in the UK believe that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are good role models.

The figure is dwarfed by the 71% who said Prince William are Kate can be regarded as one, a figure which has improved by 7% since the question was last asked in 2020.

Perhaps even more painfully for Harry, a whopping 64% of respondents said they would remove him from the line of succession if asked - trailing the disgraced Prince Andrew by only 15%.

When asked who had done more damage to the Royal Family, 46% said Prince Andrew and 43% said Prince Harry, according to the poll by MailOnline.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.