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Why Meghan Markle hasn't attended the Easter Sunday service with the royals

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex used to reside at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor


Meghan Markle at Platinum Jubilee celebrations
Danielle Stacey
Online Royal CorrespondentLondon
On 4 April 2023
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The royals are expected to gather together in Windsor for the Easter Sunday church service this weekend, an event that the Duchess of Sussex missed out on while she and Prince Harry were living in the UK.

The Sussexes moved to California after stepping back from royal duties in 2020 but before that they resided at Nottingham Cottage at Kensington Palace and later moved into Frogmore Cottage in Windsor, before the birth of their first child, Prince Archie.

Heavily pregnant Meghan was just weeks away from her due date when the Easter Sunday service took place on 21 April 2019, but expectant father Prince Harry stepped out to join his family at church. Take a look back at that moment in the clip below...

WATCH: Prince Harry joins royals on Easter Sunday 2019 ahead of royal baby's arrival

Archie arrived just over two weeks later on 6 May at London's Portland Hospital.

Harry and Meghan were also absent from the 2018 Easter Sunday service, which took place just weeks before their royal wedding.

HELLO! reported at the time that the future royal bride and groom spent the bank holiday in private, according to sources.

MORE: Harry and Meghan: Major clue the couple have responded to coronation invite 

Harry joined William, Kate and his cousins on Easter Sunday 2019© Getty
Harry joined William, Kate and his cousins on Easter Sunday 2019

It came after the couple had carried out a string of engagements in the lead-up to their nuptials.

Harry has only attended the Easter Sunday service a handful of times, with the Prince having served a ten-year career in the Army, including a month-long stint with the Australian defence force in April 2015.

And King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla typically used to celebrate Easter at their Scottish residence, Birkhall.

This Easter Sunday will mark a bittersweet day for the couple, as they celebrate 18 years of marriage but also the second anniversary of the death of the late Duke of Edinburgh.

LISTEN:  Why King Charles is being strict with the coronation guest list 

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