Prince Harry won't participate in Boxing Day tradition for Meghan Markle
Prince Harry is a changed man!
Just weeks ago, it was revealed that he kicked his longtime smoking habit to the curb for his health-conscious bride-to-be Meghan Markle. He has now also chosen to not take part in the annual royal Boxing Day shoot because Meghan, who is a keen animal rights activist, doesn't like hunting. Prince Charles, 69, and Prince William, 35, will carry on with the tradition.
Harry notified gamekeepers at Sandringham that he won't be there on December 26.
"The Boxing Day shoot was always going to be a tricky issue. Meghan is a keen animal rights campaigner and doesn't like hunting in any form," a source told The Sun. "Harry loves it and has always been out there on Boxing Day. But if it means breaking with long-standing royal traditions to avoid upsetting her, so be it. It's fair to say that there are some pretty stunned faces around here."
Though Harry has refrained from participating in the Boxing Day tradition, there will be plenty for him to do as the Queen Elizabeth's annual Christmas celebration in Sandringham kicks off. Harry and Meghan will arrive on Christmas Eve and will stay at Duchess Kate and Prince William's Norfolk estate for three days.
On Christmas Day, the royals will follow a strict schedule starting with a traditional English breakfast. After a mandatory 11 a.m. service at St. Mary Magdalene Church (a 300-yard walk from Sandringham), they'll enjoy a lunch featuring two roast turkeys. A third turkey is sent up to the nursery where it'll be served to Prince George and Princess Charlotte.
Later in the day, the family will retire to the saloon to listen to Queen Elizabeth's 3 p.m. speech. According to the source, the queen will congratulate Harry and Meghan on their engagement. The queen's famous Christmas message, which she writes herself with the help of a few advisers, is pre-recorded at Buckingham Palace a few days before Christmas.
For more on the royals' Christmas plans, watch the video above!
