After spending two Christmases with the royal family at Queen Elizabeth’s Sandringham Estate, Meghan Markle And Prince Harry decided to make their own memories and skip the holiday tradition. However, one royal expert claimed the decision could damage the couple’s relationship with the royal family.

News of Meghan and Harry’s plans to spend Christmas with their son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, comes amid reports the couple has a strained relationship with the royal family.

Meghan and Harry’s documentary and lawsuit against British tabloids reportedly created tension in the family. During New Idea’s ROYALS podcast, Angela Mollard claimed that if the couple doesn’t fix their relationship with their relatives, it could create chaos on both sides.

“You know what? If we do not see them together at Christmas, there is all hell breaking loose with that family. I think we’ll see them in some kind of PR set up between now and Christmas,” she explained.

“I think they can’t leave it too long. That said, Harry did make those very provocative comments about the fact he and William were on different paths,” Mollard added.

Royal expert, Angela Levin previously claimed Meghan and Prince Harry’s decision to skip Christmas with the royal family was due to his rumored rift with Prince William.

“I think it is a gigantic step, but I’m not really surprised by it. It’s sort of been coming. If your wife feels that she’s existing and not living, she’s unhappy, and you are going through a difficult patch as well,” she told Sky News.

“Perhaps one of the last things you want to do is go somewhere in the UK, which is bleak and cold with a whole load of family. It’s very demanding, it’s very regimented over Christmas.”

Although Prince Harry and Meghan have not shared their plans for the holiday, there have been reports they could either stay at their home in Windsor or travel to Los Angeles to spend the holiday with Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Prince Harry and Meghan visited a Cape Town rights group fighting gender violence. POOL / Courtney AFRICA