AceShowbiz - Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have not been invited to Sandringham for Christmas, a source has confirmed to People. It is the latest indication of a widening rift between the couple and the royal family.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex last celebrated the holiday with the royals in 2018, the year they married. They have not been invited to subsequent Christmas gatherings, including Trooping the Colour in June. Harry also did not meet his father when he flew to Europe during a previous celebration of the Invictus Games.

Relations between the couple and the rest of the family have been strained for several years, reaching a peak in 2021 when Harry and Meghan gave an explosive interview to Oprah Winfrey. In the interview, they accused the monarchy of ignoring Markle's pleas for mental health help and alleged that unnamed members had questioned the skin color of their then-unborn son.

Harry's 2023 memoir, "Spare," further exposed the strained relationships, with Harry accusing his brother, Prince William, of jealousy and physical assault. William has denied the allegations.

Despite their absence from royal Christmas celebrations, Harry and Meghan reportedly remain hopeful for a reconciliation. A friend of the couple told People that Harry "would give nothing more happiness than being able to rekindle his bond with his father."

Sources close to Meghan say that Christmas is a difficult time for her due to her estrangement from her father, Thomas Markle. The couple is expected to spend the holiday at their Montecito, California home with Meghan's mother.