Prince Harry ditches odd childhood tradition for Archie and Lilibet

Prince Harry's Montecito Christmas with Meghan Markle, 43, and their children, Prince Archie, three, and Princess Lilibet, five, couldn’t feel further from the royal traditions of his childhood at Sandringham. 

Yet, one memory from those festive seasons still stands out—and not in a good way.

In his memoir Spare, Harry recalled an eyebrow-raising Christmas gift from his late great-aunt Princess Margaret: a biro pen adorned with a tiny rubber fish. 

The Duke of Sussex didn’t mince words, calling the gift "cold-blooded."

Reflecting on his relationship with the late Queen’s sister, Harry admitted it was far from warm, confessing that he felt "nothing for her, except a bit of pity and a lot of jumpiness."

Harry’s Christmas Tradition Lives On Across the Pond

While Prince Harry may never pass down the infamous “cold-blooded” Christmas gift from his late great-aunt Princess Margaret, there’s one royal tradition that has stood the test of time—even in sunny Montecito.

The Duke of Sussex reflected on his first Christmas in California with Meghan Markle and their children after stepping back from senior royal duties in 2020.

Though far from Sandringham, he revealed that the Sussexes continue to honor certain festive rituals, blending cherished royal customs with their own modern twist to create new family traditions for Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.