Why Meghan Markle Hasn’t Celebrated Easter With the Royals — Ever

Her royal schedule is packed, holidays or not.

King Charles may make an appearance this year at Easter — marking his first major public event since he was diagnosed with cancer — but one royal who won’t be in attendance at the usual St. George’s Chapel service is Meghan Markle, who hasn’t actually ever celebrated the holiday with the royals.

Even the most die-hard royal fans may be surprised to learn that tidbit, but due to scheduling conflicts and other reasons, she’s never found herself alongside the other royals at Easter.

As we wait to see if she’ll be returning to the U.K. with her husband, Prince Harry, this May to mark the tenth anniversary of the Invictus Games, here’s why she’s never managed to fit a trip to St. George’s in her busy springtime schedule.

In 2018, Easter was just a few weeks before Meghan and Harry’s wedding, Which was on May 19. Both Sussexes skipped out on Easter that year, though Kate Middleton and Prince William did attend alongside Queen Elizabeth II. Kate was pregnant with Prince Louis at the time.

Then, in 2019, Meghan was also pregnant right before Easter. She gave birth to Archie on May 6, 2019, just a few weeks after Easter, which fell on April 21. At the time,

Harry and Meghan were living at Frogmore Cottage, so Harry did take a minute to step out and attend the service, which was very close to their home.

Of course, in 2020, Meghan and Harry announced that they’d be stepping away from their duties as senior royals.

That March, they moved to California from England — and there actually wasn’t a major service that year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, the royals celebrated at home and Queen Elizabeth shared a public message to mark the holiday.

This year, Easter will be different for many of us but by keeping apart, we keep others safe,” the late monarch said in the statement. “But Easter isn’t canceled, indeed, we need Easter as much as ever. The discovery of the risen Christ on the first

Easter day gave his followers new hope and fresh purpose and we can all take heart from this. We know that coronavirus will not overcome us. As dark as death can be — particularly for those suffering with grief — light and life are greater.”

The pandemic also affected Easter in 2021, when the royals skipped out on an in-person service once again. A year later, the Invictus Games were being held at The Hague, so Harry and Meghan were there instead of St. George’s, where the royal family (minus the Queen), celebrated Easter together and in-person for the first time in several years.

Meghan and Harry have spoken about spending holidays with the royals. In their Netflix docu-series Harry & Meghan,

Meghan recalled the first Christmas she spent with the royals. “I remember so vividly the first Christmas at Sandringham,” she said. “Calling my mom, and she’s like, ‘How’s it going?’ And I said, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s amazing.’

“It’s just like a big family like I always wanted,” Meghan finished. “And there was just this constant movement and energy and fun.”