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December 19, 2018

Royals gather for Queen's pre-Christmas lunch

WATCH: Queen Elizabeth II: In a minute

The royals are getting into the Christmas spirit ahead of the holiday.

Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, among other members of the royal family, attended the Queen's annual pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were spotted arriving at the palace on Wednesday.

PHOTO: Prince Harry ,Duke of Sussex and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex arrive at the Buckingham Palace For The Queen's Christmas Lunch, Dec. 19, 2018.
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Prince Harry ,Duke of Sussex and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex arrive at the Buckingham Palace For The Queen's Christmas Lunch, Dec. 19, 2018.

The newlyweds, along with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their three young children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, are all expected to spend Christmas with Queen Elizabeth at her Sandringham estate in Norfolk.

(MORE: How Meghan Markle will spend her first official royal Christmas)

This will be Meghan Markle's first Christmas as a member of the royal family.

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"It was fantastic. She really enjoyed it," Harry said on Meghan's presence at the family holiday last year. "The family loved having her there.”

"The family loved having her there."

Prince Harry on Meghan Markle's first royal Christmas.
More here: https://t.co/pF8KPDKV2L#r4today pic.twitter.com/uwQCUiw1gV

— BBC Radio 4 Today (@BBCr4today) December 27, 2017

This year the royal family is expected to follow annual traditions, including exchanging gifts on Christmas eve, many of which are usually humorous, and attending a service at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham on Christmas morning.

A Christmas lunch usually follows, and the family also tunes in to the queen's annual televised Christmas broadcast.

(MORE: Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle share their Christmas card photos)

Last year, Queen Elizabeth shared a special message on the importance of going back to one's roots.

"We think of our homes as places of warmth, familiarity and love -- of shared stories and memories -- which is perhaps why, at this time of year, so many return to where they grew up. There is a timeless simplicity to the pull of home," she said.

"We think of our homes as places of warmth, familiarity and love... there is a timeless simplicity to the pull of home."
Watch Her Majesty The Queen's Christmas broadcast 2017. Merry Christmas to all. #ChristmasDay2017 pic.twitter.com/s9HAvPvrKO

— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) December 25, 2017

She also added that she was thinking of those affected by the May 2017 Manchester bombing and the June 2017 Grenfell Tower fire.

"This Christmas, I think of London and Manchester, whose powerful identities shone through over the past 12 months, in the face of appalling attacks. In Manchester, those targeted included children who had gone to see their favorite singer," she said.

(MORE: Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to spend Christmas together)

This Christmas comes at an interesting time for the family.

Reports have surfaced that the Duchess of Sussex could receive her first royal patronage from Queen Elizabeth soon.

"She's been having meetings behind the scenes to find out more about the charities and organizations that she's considering becoming patron of," ABC News' royal contributor Victoria Murphy said of Markle. "She is very interested, we know, in women's and girls' rights around the world."

Markle visited The Royal Variety Charity’s residential and nursing retirement home, Brinsworth House, on Wednesday, and spent time meeting with residents during the visit.

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The Duchess of Sussex this morning visited The Royal Variety Charity’s residential nursing and care home Brinsworth House, to join the residents and staff as they enjoyed a festive themed morning ?? The Royal Variety Charity, of which The Queen is Patron, assists those who have worked professionally in the entertainment industry and are in need of help and assistance as a result of old age, ill-health, or hard times. The Duchess attended this year’s Royal Variety Performance with The Duke in November. Proceeds raised from the event go directly towards supporting Brinsworth House. ??PA

A post shared by Kensington Palace (@kensingtonroyal) on

"We also know that she's interested in education and equality of education for all, and we know that, with her background as an actress, she is very interested in the arts," Murphy said of Markle.