Queen Camilla’s children and grandchildren look set to celebrate Christmas this year with their mother and King Charles, after reportedly being invited to Sandringham.
It’s thought to be the first time that Tom Parker Bowles, 48, and his younger sister Laura Lopes, 45 – the Queen’s children by her first husband Andrew Parker Bowles, have been invited to spend Christmas at Sandringham House.
According to ITV Royal Editor Chris Ship, this year’s guest list has been ‘radically altered’ for the first time since Queen Elisabeth’s death in 2022 to accommodate Queen Camilla’s side of the family.
It’s likely the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children will join the King and Queen on the Norfolk estate for the festive period, along with other senior royals.
Food critic and MasterChef star Tom Parker Bowles has two children, Lola, 16, and Freddy, 13 with his ex wife Sara Buys.
Festive family affair: The Queen is thought to have invited her two children Tom Parker Bowles, 48, and Laura Lopes, 45, and her five grandchildren for Christmas at Sandringham for the first time (Pictured in 2018)
Meanwhile, the Queen’s daughter Laura Lopes shares daughter Eliza, 15, and twins Gus and Louis, 13, with Harry Lopes.
The Queen is thought to enjoy a close relationship with her grandchildren.
Camilla’s three grandsons – and Arthur – were all Page of Honours at the King’s Coronation alongside her great nephew Arthur Elliot, whose father is former Tory Party chairman Ben Elliot
At this year’s Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle, the King’s wife, 76, could be seen waving from the royal box at her children and grandchildren, who were all invited to attend tonight’s star-studded concert, but were not sat in the royal box, which was full.
The Queen’s grandsons Freddy Parker Bowles, fourth from right, and Gus Lopes and Louis Lopes, far right and second from right, with the Queen’s great nephew Arthur Elliott, third from right, at the Coronation of King Charles
Christmas with granny! Cousins Freddy Parker Bowles and Gus Lopes pictured watching the RAF flypast from the Buckingham Palace balcony at the King’s Coronation in May
It remains unclear whether such a royal invitation has been extended to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
There have been reports in recent days that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are keen to build bridges and would ‘not decline’ an offer to join His Majesty for the festive season.
Another royal insider suggested to the Mail they thought the king would be more likely to invite Harry and Meghan to visit him in Scotland over the New Year, when the Waleses would be at Anmer Hall, their Norfolk country home.
Buckingham Palace have declined to comment on the latest reports.
But sources have previously told the Mail that the King will never ‘shut the door’ on his youngest son and believes that their relationship can be repaired, over time, behind closed doors.
Speculation remains that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle would attend an invitation to spend Christmas in the UK at Sandringham (pictured); Buckingham Palace has declined to comment
A big Christmas! The future King and Queen pictured in 2022 with the then Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (Pictured: The Royals on Christmas Day last year)
So the sudden flurry of briefings by Team Sussex have caused immense frustration in recent days, but King Charles has made clear that Harry — and his family — are welcome to stay on royal property if they come to the UK.
‘Christmas plans are normally nailed down by now as Sandringham isn’t a particularly big place and there’s not a lot of room for the entire extended family,’ another source cautioned.
‘It would be surprising for the Sussexes not to have received an invitation by now if there was going to be one. New Year in Scotland would be more likely.
‘But as with anything to do with Harry and Meghan, let’s face it, anything can happen.’