Meghan Markle has revealed a glimpse inside her Thanksgiving Day plans with Prince Harry and their two children, while opening up about how their family is preparing to celebrate the holiday at their $14.65 million Montecito mansion.
Meghan, 44, shared some “sage” advice about how to prepare a unique Thanksgiving meal in the latest issue of her lifestyle brand’s newsletter, which detailed how she and her family have turned to their own gardens to source “magical” ingredients for their turkey dinner.
The mother of two highlighted one key ingredient that she plans to use for the autumnal holiday this year: sage, which she noted is found growing throughout the lush gardens at the Sussexes’ property.
“When it comes to our founder’s favorites, the delicate, herbaceous flavor of sage ranks high on the list,” the As Ever email read.
“Why, you ask? Well, those photos you’ve seen this year on our Instagram of Meghan walking through what seems like lavender, with its gorgeous purple hue, actually share the beauty of flowering sage (Fun fact: the varietal is called Santa Barbara).”
The newsletter went on to detail scenic walks around their garden with Archie, 6, and Lilibet, 4, and their two dogs, revealing 41-year-old Harry’s main job: checking on the bees that produce the honey for Meghan’s brand, which she has infused with—you guessed it!—sage.
“Those strolls, with Archie and Lili running in tow, her husband checking on the bees, Pula chasing the ball with Mia trying to keep up—those were the sun-drenched moments that made an everyday walk something a bit more magical. And that sage, that purple, that scent around the garden, was always there in the background.”
So, Meghan began experimenting with the herb, “drying all the different varieties she was growing,” and using it to infuse everything from oils to honey.
“Meghan started drying all the different varieties of sage she was growing, bundling it as gifts, cooking with it, infusing it into oils, and indulging in the sage-infused honey her bees were busy harvesting,” the newsletter went on.
It was during this process that the former “Suits” star began “dreaming up” the As Ever holiday collection—which features the $32 jar of sage honey, as well as $64 candles, and a $16 spiced cider mulling spice kit.
“Meghan imagined what it would taste like to have a sage honey drizzled on her Thanksgiving turkey,” the newsletter revealed. “And tah-dah! Here we are: a stunning sage honey, aromatic and earthy, epicurean in its depth of flavor and elegant simplicity, inspired by the treats she enjoys at her home with her family.”
So followed Meghan’s recipe for a “sage honey glaze,” which uses one-quarter cup of her brand’s sage honey, as well as turkey or chicken broth, dijon mustard, salt, pepper, red chili flakes, and lemon.
“Whisk together warm stock, honey, salt and pepper, and Dijon,” the recipe advises.”Add lemon to taste, and add extra flavor with crushed red chili flakes (hot honey, honey) or minced fresh herbs.
“Brush over your turkey once it’s fully roasted to add a final finish of taste (and a glistening glow) to your pièce de résistance.”
For those who aren’t fans of turkey, Meghan had some sage-themed alternatives to the Thanksgiving bird, including adding a teaspoon of the honey to tea, or simply eating it off a spoon.
Meghan brought her recipe to life in a video shared on the As Ever Instagram, in which she could be seen preparing a holiday table—before glazing her turkey ready to serve.
In the clip, the mother of two sports a deep red silk dress with festive bow ties at the shoulders, carefully decorating each place setting with a sage green ribbon tied around each napkin.
She then presents her cooked turkey, which she tops off with her special sage honey glaze.
“Our table is set with a seat just for you,” the caption of the post—which had comments turned off—read.
And while Meghan and her family may be looking forward to Thanksgiving Day, that hasn’t stopped the brand founder from beginning her holiday festivities at her Montecito home, which she and Harry purchased for $14.65 million in 2020, soon after quitting their roles as senior working royals.
The Duchess of Sussex also offered a glimpse into her Christmas decorations on the As Ever Instagram account, which posted a brief clip of the former actress decking the halls inside her home.
In the video, Meghan is seen sporting an olive green silk ensemble, while hanging up a beige knitted stocking on the mantlepiece above her fireplace, which had already been covered in Christmas garland.
Behind her, a huge Christmas tree could be seen already decked out with lights and different round baubles in varying shades of beige and gold.
“Oh, we see you!” the caption read. “Not even Thanksgiving yet and you’ve already got this in the bag.”
For those with a fondness for festive celebrations, Meghan is also preparing to release a holiday special of her Netflix lifestyle show, “With Love, Meghan,” on Dec. 3, which she has promised will include a look at her “favorite holiday traditions, seasonal crafts, and family recipes.”
The show is also due to feature a new cast of celebrity guests.
2025 will mark the fifth year that Meghan and Harry have celebrated the holidays at their stateside abode, having moved into their sprawling nine-bedroom dwelling in the summer of 2020.
Speaking to The Cut in 2022, Meghan opened up about how they stumbled upon the property online—revealing that the gardens surrounding the Mediterranean-style dwelling played a key role in their decision to put in an offer.
“We were looking in this area and this house kept popping up online in searches,” she recalled.
Interestingly, Meghan admitted that she and Harry were initially concerned that they wouldn’t be able to afford the home, noting that—at the time—they were both unemployed.
“We didn’t have jobs, so we were just not going to come and see this house. It wasn’t possible,” she said. “It’s like when I was younger and you’re window shopping—it’s like, ‘I don’t want to go and look at all the things that I can’t afford—that doesn’t feel good.'”
However, her fascination with the nine-bedroom, 16-bathroom estate won out and they went to view the home in person—with Meghan revealing that they fell in love with it before even setting foot inside.
“One of the first things my husband saw when we walked around the house was those two palm trees,” she recalled. “We did everything we could to get this house.”
While the couple initially kept details about their home life very tightly under wraps, Meghan has been sharing more regular glimpses inside their family’s routine on her social media accounts, which were reactivated on Jan. 1, around the same time she announced the launch of her brand.
Since then, the mother of two has shared multiple photos and videos taken in and around the property, including snippets of her children enjoying the grounds, cooking up treats in the enormous kitchen, and playing with their beloved dogs.