She still includes Christmas crackers in her family’s festive celebrations

n With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration, Meghan Markle opened up about how she brings a British tradition to her Californian Christmas with Archie and Lilibet.

Meghan may have left royal life behind, but she’s holding on to at least one festive tradition from her time in the UK, and passing it on to her children.

In her new Netflix special, With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration, released on Dec 3, the Duchess of Sussex shared that Christmas crackers are still part of her family’s Christmas celebrations in California.

Meghan Markle revealed that she still includes Christmas crackers in her family’s festive celebrations (Credit: Netflix)

Meghan Markle shares holiday traditions in With Love, Meghan

During a segment filmed in the craft room of her Montecito home, Meghan sat down with restaurateur Will Guidara to make homemade crackers by hand.

As the pair prepared the festive tubes, Meghan reflected on her time in the UK and how this very British ritual became special to her.

“Living in the UK, it’s just such a big part of [the culture],” she told Guidara. “Typically, people cross their arms and do it. They sit around the table, and they all pull at the same time. It does feel really connected and sweet.”

She fondly described the contents: “They would always have a fortune cookie–sized joke or riddle and something sweet [inside].”

Christmas crackers have long been a staple in British holiday celebrations. The royal family has embraced the tradition for over a century. Queen Elizabeth II reportedly loved to read the corny jokes aloud at the royal family’s Christmas dinner at Sandringham.

Meghan herself spent two Christmases at Sandringham: first in 2017, shortly after her engagement to Prince Harry, and again in 2018 as a newlywed. She and Harry later celebrated Christmas in Canada in 2019 before stepping back from royal duties in early 2020.

New details about Archie and Lilibet

Now based in California, Meghan is bringing a personalised twist to the tradition.

For Prince Harry, she included “a little love letter, a chocolate and a little hat”. Their son, Prince Archie, received a cracker filled with a hamburger toy and something red, two of his favourite things.

As for Princess Lilibet, Meghan tailored the surprise to her daughter’s current phase. “Lili really likes trying to be a grown-up lady at the moment,” she explained. “So this is like a lavender roller ball.”

In one scene from her Netflix holiday special, the duchess prepares homemade crackers for her family (Credit: Netflix)

With Love, Meghan holiday special on Netflix

With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration features a starry guest list, including tennis icon Naomi Osaka, Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio, author-producer Lindsay Roth, and Meghan’s close friend Kelly McKee Zajfen.

The special sees Meghan preparing festive treats, wrapping gifts, and visiting a Christmas tree farm, all while sharing personal anecdotes.

“I love the holiday season,” she gushed in the trailer. “It’s about finding time to connect with the people we love, embracing traditions and making new ones.”

Prince Harry even made a brief appearance. In one scene, the Duke of Sussex shared a kiss with Meghan as she prepared a family recipe, gumbo.

The holiday special coincides with the launch of the first Christmas collection from Meghan’s lifestyle brand, As Ever. The collection includes sparkling wines, beeswax candles, artisanal fruit preserves, and honey.