It looks like Christmas at Sandringham is going to be very different this year after it’s being reported that Prince Harry will skip out on the annual pheasant shoot out of respect for Meghan Markle.

The Duke and Duchess Of Sussex are gearing up for their first festive season as a married couple, with the Daily Mail claiming that Harry will skip the Boxing Day tradition because his wife is a keen advocate for animal welfare and dislikes blood sports.

An insider is said to have told the publication: “Harry’s always loved hunting...But now it looks like Harry’s shooting days are over."

The hunt itself will still go ahead, with Prince William, Prince Charles, and even little Prince George all said to be taking part in the trip. The site claims that Prince Harry will use the spare time to relax with his pregnant wife instead.

This isn’t the first time he’s skipped out on a hunting event, having dodged last year’s hunting activities over the same issue. At the time, an insider told The Sun that royal aides were surprised by his absence.

"The Boxing Day shoot was always going to be a tricky issue. Meghan is a keen animal rights campaigner and doesn’t like hunting in any form."

The source continued, "Harry loves it and has always been out there on Boxing Day. But if it means breaking with long-standing royal traditions to avoid upsetting her, so be it. It’s fair to say that there are some pretty stunned faces around here."