Prince Harry has opened up about his experience of feeling "unloved" and "underappreciated" during a Christmas spent with the royal family at Sandringham. In his memoir, Spare, the Duke of Sussex recalled returning from an expedition to the South Pole in 2013 only to be "relegated" to staff quarters upon his arrival. He described being given a small room in a narrow back corridor among the offices of Palace staff, a place he had rarely set foot in before. Prince Harry admitted feeling a bit unappreciated and unloved, but he told himself to make the best of it and protect the serenity he had achieved during his time at the Pole.
From the South Pole to Sandringham
Prince Harry went directly from his expedition to the South Pole to spend Christmas with his family at Sandringham. However, due to the lack of available space at "Hotel Granny" that year, he was given a mini room in a narrow back corridor among the offices of Palace staff. Despite the unfamiliar surroundings, the prince saw it as an opportunity to explore uncharted territory. Nevertheless, he couldn't help but feel a bit unappreciated and relegated to the hinterlands.
Protecting serenity
Despite his initial disappointment, Prince Harry told himself to make the best of the situation and use the time to protect the serenity he had achieved during his South Pole expedition. The royal had trekked for three weeks with 13 injured service personnel as part of the Walking With The Wounded charity, covering a distance of 200 miles in temperatures as low as -45C. The expedition aimed to show that despite their injuries, young men and women from the armed forces can still achieve great things.
Christmas at Sandringham
Every year, the royal family gathers at Sandringham to celebrate the festive season together. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle last spent Christmas with the family at Sandringham in 2018 before their move to the US. It has been reported that the couple has not been invited to the UK to celebrate the holidays this year, despite their openness to the idea.
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