On Thursday, December 25, the Duchess of Sussex released a holiday-themed email newsletter for her lifestyle brand, As Ever. Instead of festive praise, the message drew criticism from some readers, who labeled it “shallow and sad” and suggested it hinted at deeper personal or marital struggles.

“And her actually sending this out makes her day seem shallow and sad as it juxtaposes with real royal family celebrations. What a failure she is,” one social media user wrote.

Inside Meghan’s Christmas Newsletter

The email, sent to subscribers on Christmas morning, outlined Meghan and Harry’s holiday traditions at their Montecito, California home with their two children.

While As Ever newsletters throughout 2025 have focused on seasonal updates and product launches, this edition centered on Meghan’s personal Christmas experience, mentioning dim sum, board games, music, and spending the day in pajamas.

She described Christmas Eve in detail, writing:
“Last night, I was nibbling the remnants of our Christmas Eve feast (dim sum this year), wrapping a few last-minute gifts, and tiptoeing down the stairs with my husband to make sure ‘Santa’ had enjoyed his cookies and ‘the reindeer’ had eaten their carrots.”

“Anything to maintain the morning magic of Christmas through our children’s eyes.”

Meghan then shared her plans for Christmas Day itself:
“I plan to spend today cuddled up with my family – maybe pajamas all day, some Scrabble or Sequence… music playing, candles flickering, dogs snoring, endless grazing; the laughter, the sidebars, the deep breaths (you know the ones), the fun, and the memories.”

A Quiet Holiday Compared to the Royal Family

The message ended with a warm greeting to readers:
“I hope that whether you’re cozied up in your pajamas like we are, or dressed to the nines, whether you’re with a huge gathering, with your partner, your kids, or on your own – wherever you happen to find yourself today reading this note – that you know I am wishing you a very Merry Christmas, and all the blessings that come with it.”

While Meghan spent Christmas privately at home, senior members of the Royal Family—including King Charles III, Queen Camilla, Prince William, Princess Kate, and their children—attended the traditional Christmas Day church service at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham. They later greeted crowds of well-wishers and sat down for a formal family lunch, typically featuring roast turkey.

Online Criticism and Rumors of Separation

The contrast between the two celebrations fueled online commentary, with critics describing Meghan’s holiday as “lonely” and accusing her of denying Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet time with their royal relatives.

Some went further, speculating that Meghan and Harry may be living separately.

“They were alone Christmas Eve… and will be alone Christmas Day. No mention of friends and laughter throughout last night or talk of family Christmas dinner,” one critic wrote.

Another commented, “Can you imagine how they’ve denied that life to their kids?? I would be [livid] if I were Archie and Lili and learned all about this in the future.”

A third mocked the newsletter’s tone, adding,
“All I can now think of is Meghan skulking around her house in her white cashmere and silk, shushing Harry, creeping up to the tree and demanding he take a video of her prepping for ‘aggressively hosting’ the sh*t out of poor santa and his reindeer.”

One user criticized the writing style itself, saying,
“It reads like she was writing while in a manic state… people who rattle on with long run on sentences… don’t often have anything significant to say.”

Reports and Denials

As speculation spread, one Reddit comment gained traction:
“Likely like separate. There are multiple reports that they are definitely not living together anymore.”

The remark appeared to reference a RadarOnline.com report from October 2025, which cited an anonymous source claiming the couple was struggling and “not on the same page with anything right now.”

The source alleged:
“Meghan is absolutely pivoting to fashion. She’s always had her eye on designing her own label.”

“Meghan and Harry are keeping their work completely separate. He’s more than happy for her to do her lifestyle thing and they both prefer that she’s doing it on her own without him.”

Neither Meghan nor Prince Harry has publicly addressed these claims.

Timing Controversy With the King’s Speech

Additional criticism arose over the timing of Meghan’s newsletter, which was released just hours before King Charles III’s annual Christmas broadcast. While she did not violate any official rules as a non-working royal, some critics accused her of breaching unspoken royal etiquette.

Several viewed the timing as an attempt to “overshadow” the monarch’s address.

“Bare minimum that literally every parent does? Why does she write this way? As though it’s such a huge sacrifice… She’s the woooorst,” one user wrote.