The Duke and Duchess of Sussex donated to the first ever Annual Montecito Holiday Car Parade, which took place in their local California neighbourhood this week.
Prince Harry, 37, and Meghan Markle, 40, showed their support for their new hometown as they joined a select few donors in supporting the festive car procession.
The couple, who live in an impressive $14.7 million mansion in the exclusive neighbourhood with Archie, 2, and Lilibet, seven months, got into the Christmas spirit for the parade, which was themed ‘holiday magic’.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex donated to the first ever Annual Montecito Holiday Car Parade, which took place in their local California neighbourhood this week. (seen on stage a0t Global Citizen Live: New York on September 25, 2021 in New York City)
According to the Montecito Journal, brightly-lit cars decorated with garlands, tinsel and wreath made their way down the parade route, watched by locals as Santa Claus handed out candy from a truck complete with Christmas star.
The local paper wrote: ‘ As the merriment still lingers in the air, here’s to a new Montecito holiday tradition!
‘Thanks to the many parade sponsors including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle who were first to donate’.
Prince Harry, 37, and Meghan Markle, 40, showed their support for their new hometown as they joined a select few donors in supporting the festive car procession (pictured)
They helped get the locals into the Christmas spirit for the parade, which was themed ‘holiday magic’
This week Meghan was seen Christmas shopping in Montecito at some of her favorite stores, including nearby Pierre LaFond & Co and kids’ clothing boutique Poppy.
The mother-of-two looked stylish in a Massimo Dutti wool coat, Tamara Mellon boots, Bottega Veneta clutch, LeSpecs Air Heart sunglasses, along with a brown beanie and blue face mask.
Meghan was said to be out for around an hour with her bodyguard, and was seen carrying a few shopping bags before returning home.
An onlooker claimed: ‘There was a franticness to her shopping, like she was just itching to get out and be somewhat normal. Even if it was for just an hour.’
The couple live in an impressive $14.7 million mansion in the exclusive neighbourhood with Archie, 2, and Lilibet, seven months (seen)
The sighting comes after Meghan’s make-up artist pal Daniel Martin revealed Harry and Meghan are loving family life with Archie and Lilibet.
Speaking in a new interview with People magazine, the Duchess of Sussex’s close pal said the couple had ‘struck a rhythm as a foursome’.
Daniel, who met up with the pair as they got ready for the gala at the Intrepid Museum in November, described seeing them again as ‘so much fun’ and admitted it felt ‘like the gang was back together’.
Daniel said: ‘Harry jokes around a lot, and Meghan is really funny. It was nice to have those belly laughs again!
‘They are loving life as a family of four. ‘They’ve struck a rhythm as a foursome.’
Daniel, seen doing Meghan’s make-up previously, described their recent reunion in the Big Apple as ‘so much fun’ and ‘like the gang was back together
Speaking about how the pair are juggling family with their projects, he added: ‘It’s about finding that work-life balance now. They’re experiencing it themselves’.
And Daniel revealed that the pair couldn’t wait to get ‘back home’ to the children at home in California during their New York trip, explaining that this was another reason Meghan was lobbying for working mothers to get paid parental leave.
‘It’s about finding that work-life balance now, which ties into Meghan lobbying for parental paid leave. They’re experiencing it themselves. They know it affects everyone in the family’, he added.
Meanwhile another source described the pair as ‘inseparable’.
Ellen DeGeneres (right) and Meghan Markle during a taping of The Ellen DeGeneres Show at the Warner Bros lot in Burbank. Brave Meghan is speaking out for new mothers to receive paid parental leave in the US
Meanwhile, across the pond the Queen’s Sandringham Christmas ‘continues to be under review’ and senior royals have agreed to cancel their festive plans in the run-up to December 25th to ensure they can be with the monarch for it, sources have claimed.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Charles and Camilla, Princess Anne, Prince Edward and wife Sophie have agreed to reduce all but essential contacts ahead of the big day, according to The Mirror.
Their decision comes after the Queen, 95, cancelled her annual Royal Family Christmas lunch next Tuesday ‘with regret’ as a ‘precaution’ to try to save her loved ones’ festive plans, amid fears over the rapid spread of the Omicron Covid variant.
The Queen’s (pictured this week) Sandringham trip ‘continues to be under review’ and senior royals have agreed to cancel their festive plans in the run-up to December 25th to ensure they can be with the monarch on Christmas Day, sources have claimed
Her Majesty was planning to welcome 50 or so relatives, including Prince Charles and Camilla, to the event at Windsor Castle next week, and the decision to axe the party was made because too many people’s Christmas arrangements were at risk if it went ahead.
It is MailOnline’s understanding that there are no immediate plans for staff to form a Covid bubble with the Queen as they did last year, because the situation is constantly changing.
However, insiders have suggested that the monarch will continue staying at Windsor over the Christmas period rather than going to Sandringham because she already has a secure set up.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (pictured with Princess Charlotte and Prince George at Sandringham on December 25, 2019), Prince Charles and Camilla, Princess Anne, Prince Edward and wife Sophie have agreed to reduce all but essential contacts ahead of the big day, according to The Mirror
One day after the festive lunch, the Queen was due to travel by helicopter to Sandringham in Norfolk, where she hopes to spend Christmas day.
However, the Queen ‘with regret’ cancelled her family lunch as a ‘precautionary’ measure, feeling that too many people’s Christmas arrangements were at risk if it went ahead.
Royal sources said ‘there is a belief that it is the right thing to do for all concerned.’
Dickie Arbiter, the Queen’s former press secretary, told The Sun: ‘The luncheon is very important to the Queen because it is the one time of the year when the whole extended family gets together.
Their decision comes after the Queen (pictured with several senior royals in March 2020), 95, cancelled her annual Royal Family Christmas lunch on Tuesday ‘with regret’ as a ‘precaution’ to try to save her loved ones’ festive plans, amid fears over the rapid spread of the Omicron Covid variant
‘Having cancelled this lunch I’d be very surprised if she decamped and took her family to Sandringham. Windsor has been a secure bubble since the start of the pandemic.
‘The Queen leads by example and expects the rest of the family to follow suit. In this very infectious time it is better to be safe than sorry.’
It marks the second year the Queen has cancelled the luncheon, usually held at Buckingham Palace. Last year she called off the lunch when tougher restrictions were brought in amid the surge of the Delta Covid strain.
The annual Christmas lunch was due to be held at Windsor Castle (pictured) this year, instead of the usual Buckingham Palace