Royal Tension on Display: Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Final Christmas Walk With Kate Middleton and Prince William Features Key 'Barrier' Move

It's been a frosty six years since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle last joined the royal family for a Christmas gathering at Sandringham.

The once picture-perfect couple have traded palace drama for sunny California, but whispers of their 2018 royal Christmas in light of this year's Sussex snub hint that the cracks in their royal fairytale were already forming thanks to the body language of that Sandringham holiday church procession.

Body language expert Judi James told an outlet the traditional Christmas Day walk to church — once a cheerful showcase of royal unity — turned into a treacherous "toxic tightrope walk" rife with tension and subtle power plays. Back in 2017, their first royal Christmas together, Harry and Meghan seemed blissfully smitten. But by 2018, according to James, the mood was shifting, and the Sussexes' demeanor showed signs of strain.

"The sparkle and closeness of their debut appearance had dimmed," noted James. Meghan, once the confident new royal in their midst, reportedly displayed subtle signs of discomfort, while Harry appeared increasingly protective and less relaxed.

James explained, "In 2018, their body language suggested a couple more inwardly focused, with Harry often looking tense and Meghan adopting a more cautious approach in public. It was Kate who moved across to Meghan to perform the smiling chat for the cameras, while Meghan retained her hold on Harry’s arm, carrying her bag between herself and Kate to suggest a no-thaw-here style of barrier."

The analyst observed, "Kate gave good denial body language but the gesture looked forced and over-obvious and it was soon made clear those rumors did indeed have legs."

The Sussexes have only attended two royal Christmases, in 2017 and 2018, before opting for private celebrations in 2019 on Vancouver Island, far from the glare of royal protocol. That decision preceded their monumental 2020 announcement to step back as senior royals, a move that sent shockwaves through royal circles.

Now happily settled in Montecito with their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, the Duke and Duchess have left their Windsor days behind. Still, their final Sandringham holiday looms large in royal watchers' memories as a time when the frost between the Sussexes and the rest of the family seemed to settle in.

James reflected on the royal dynamic, further observing how "the Christmas walk is more than just a tradition; it’s a stage where every glance, smile, or lack thereof becomes a headline." The Sussexes' 2018 performance on this unwritten stage hinted at growing unease, foreshadowing their eventual royal exit.

As Christmas approaches, it’s clear that the Sussexes have rewritten the royal playbook entirely, trading tiaras for tranquility.

Still, their final Christmas with the Windsors is a moment frozen in time, "and a tantalizing glimpse of a chapter now closed yet endlessly fascinating to royal fans worldwide," a former royal aide dished.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are expected to spend the holiday season at their Montecito, Calif., home with their kids and Meghan's mom, Doria Ragland.

The Sun reported on Harry and Meghan's last royal Christmas.