The Queen is 93… Sulky Prince Harry and Meghan Markle can’t miss a Christmas with her

You’ll hear a lot of the usual royal puffery over the next few days about how the Sussexes are making a personal decision for their young family.

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And about how the Queen set a precedent in the past by allowing the Cambridges the chance to spend the festive ­period with the Middletons.

But that misses the point — Wills and Kate weren’t feuding with the entire institution at the time.

Now I have no doubt Christmas at Sandringham with the royals is a frightfully ghastly affair. Princess Diana once described it as “highly fraught” and “odd”, featuring “lots of tension”.

However, she also acknowledged the importance of the Royal Family being together at Christmas, not just for the family but for the country.

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PETULANT TODDLER

Respect for royal tradition is something not high right now on the agenda of Prince Harry and Meghan, who hilariously believe they have “single-handedly” modernised the monarchy.

That’s obvious, given he only called his grandmother to tell her about his Christmas snub on Wednesday afternoon — AFTER The Sun had published the news on our front page. I call that damage control. It’s certainly not the way to treat our longest-serving monarch — someone who has remained staunchly behind Harry during his recent meltdowns while support from the rest of his family falters.

The Queen allowed Harry and Meghan to move to her Windsor estate after they fell out with William and Kate.

She’s even given them access to her private chefs and I’m told she checks in regularly on them as she forms a relationship with her great-grandson Archie. That closeness means no one knows more than Harry what a family Christmas means to the Queen.

SAD REALITY

Of course, she is never going to stop him doing what he feels is best but that’s not the point.

Harry must stop acting like a petulant toddler and behave like a statesman if that’s how he wants the world to view him.

It is impossible for me to get out of my mind that Prince Philip is 98 and the Queen 93.

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Just by nature of those advancing years, the sad reality is that it could be one of their final festive seasons.

I’ll never forgive myself for missing my last Christmas with my beloved Grandma Rua because I didn’t travel to New Zealand a few years back.

When Harry gets over these petty squabbles one day, I have no doubt he will feel the same degree of regret.

READ MORE FROM DAN WOOTTON

Early morning dramas

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HAVING recently decided to leave the cosy world of breakfast TV after a decade, I was intrigued by Apple’s big-budget drama series, The Morning Show, starring Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon.

It is packed full of back-stabbing, betrayal, twisted manipulation, feuds and highly unpleasant presenters whose on-screen persona is nothing like the real person.

But it was sweetness and light compared to a day behind the scenes on This Morning with Phillip  Schofield . . .

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CARRIE BOJO TO VICTORY

THERE are two things so far missing in action during the General Election campaign: Logic from Jeremy Corbyn, and Boris Johnson’s partner Carrie Symonds.

Apart from the odd social media picture, she only seems to be allowed quietly on the trail as some type of human shield for the No 10 dog Dilyn.

Perhaps the PM is worried that if his girlfriend gets involved, he won’t stay the most talked-about blond in the country.

But in all seriousness, I think Carrie is a secret weapon who should be deployed on a national scale to woo the crucial youth vote.

She is just 31 (some would say too young for Boris, but I don’t judge) and a passionate campaigner for the environment and animal rights – touchy-feely issues that are hardly a Tory strength but appeal to young voters.

Besides, the days of Boris claiming he has a private life are over.

While he is Prime Minister, his personal life is our business.

Carrie is sleeping at No11 Downing Street and sitting in the same box at the Royal Albert Hall as the Queen, for goodness sake.

So there’s absolutely no reason to restrict her potential to help keep her man in power.

Lisa, forget revenge and move on

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IN just a few months Lisa Armstrong, if she so chooses, will become one of the richest female celebrities  in Britain.

Her ex-husband Ant McPartlin has offered her 50 per cent of his £62million fortune – and their £6million, six-bedroom marital home (mortgage-free) in Chiswick, West London.

But Ant could throw in custody of his presenting partner Declan Donnelly and it still wouldn’t be enough for this bitter and scornful ex, who seems hell-bent on revenge at any cost.

Now I’m not for a second suggesting that money can mend a broken heart.

GRIEF-LIKE EMOTION

But, come on, with £37million behind her, this former girlband failure turned popular Strictly Come Dancing make-up artist has the chance to start a new life however she chooses.

But having locked Ant out of their marital home while he was trying to beat drug addiction, Lisa is now determined to take their divorce  battle to court.

I have been dumped by someone I thought I would spend the rest of my life with and, inevitably, you  go through a spiral of grief-like emotion.  But the most important moment was realising, a few weeks after the split, that I would only hurt myself by harking back to a past I had glamorised in my head.

Lisa, you will only find the same true joy if you find it in your soul to move on, too. Unlock the doors to the house you shared with Ant and allow him to gather his personal possessions.

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Take 50 per cent of his fortune and work out a permanent arrangement to keep sharing custody of your beloved dog, Hurley.

Know that you are a good woman who did her absolute best to make the marriage work but  that sometimes it’s impossible to stop someone falling out of love with you.

At that point, I promise you, joy and love will return to your  life, too.

JUST LET ME ORDER WHAT I WANT

I USUALLY refuse to use the D word (diet). It’s as bad for me as the F word (fat).

But just over two months ago I started the Keto, let’s call it, regime.

The extreme low carb/high fat plan is going surprisingly well – three inches off the waist so far. However, I’m amazed how difficult food suppliers make it to eat what you need.  We lag so far behind America on this front and there are amazing money- making opportunities to be had.

Case in point: Deliveroo. When I finally found someone the other night who’d let me order a burger ­without the bun, they wouldn’t let me pay until I’d selected a free milkshake. Sure enough, it arrived and  I cheated by drinking half of the peanut butter-flavoured goodness.

It might sound like a First World problem but there is a weight crisis in this country – and I’m part of it.

Sugar and fat taxes will never work, but companies must start giving consumers losing weight more choice.

Wootton's Week

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