Prince Harry said Meghan Markle had a fantastic Christmas

Prince Harry said Meghan Markle had a fantastic Christmas

Prince Harry today told Radio 4 listeners that his fiancee Meghan Markle had a 'fantastic' Christmas with the Royals and said they are the 'family she never had'.

The 33-year-old was guest editing the Today programme and his interview with Barack Obama - the first since he left the Oval Office - was played live on air.

He grilled the former president, who urged world leaders to use social media appropriately and warned it is distorting the public's understanding of complex issues.

But the tables turned when the fifth in line to the throne was quizzed by presenter Sarah Montague at the end of the three-hour show.

She asked the prince about his engagement and Christmas with Miss Markle and he replied: 'It was fantastic, she really enjoyed it.'  

He added that his family 'loved having' the 36-year-old Suits actress with them in Sandringham, Norfolk, and said the Royals are 'the family she has never had'.

Miss Markle's mother Doria Ragland, 61, and father Thomas Markle Sr, 73, divorced in 1987 and Mr Markle Sr has still not met his daughter's fiance.  

But her half-sister has revealed her elusive father will want to walk her down the aisle next year and her nephew will reportedly 'gatecrash' the ceremony if he isn't invited.

And on Christmas Day, the engaged couple joined the Queen at Sandringham and were photographed walking with other royal family members to church.

Harryalso revealed he had stayed with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who live in Anmer Hall in Norfolk, while visiting the Queen at her nearby Sandringham estate.

Speaking about his fiancee, he said: 'The family loved having her there.

'There's always that family part of Christmas (where) there's always that work element there as well, and I think together we had an amazing time.

'We had great fun staying with my brother and sister-in-law and running round with the kids. 'Christmas was fantastic.'

The presenter asked the prince if there were any family traditions that had to be explained to Ms Markle and he replied: 'Oh plenty, I think we've got one of the biggest families that I know of, and every family is complex as well.

'No look, she's done an absolutely amazing job. She's getting in there and it's the family I suppose that she's never had.'

During the show Harry interviewed his father, the Prince of Wales, and discussed his long-held interest in the environment and protecting the world's natural resources.

Harry sounded a positive note about the future: 'And as I said we're really looking forward to new year and looking forward to 2018.

'Because, you know, I'm determined to make sure that myself and the young generation and everybody else this pen-dulum is going to swing and 2018 is going to be a fantastic year and we all need to play our part.'

During his interview with Obama for the programme, the former US president warned that the irresponsible use of social media is distorting the public's understanding of complex issues and leading to the spread of misinformation. 

Mr Obama highlighted the importance of communicating offline and taking time away from social media, some have interpreted as a dig at current President Donald Trump.

He said: 'The truth is that on the internet everything is simplified and when you meet people face to face it turns out they are complicated.'

'One of things we want to do I think is as we're working with young people to build up platforms for social change.

'Make sure that they don't think that just sending out a hashtag in and of itself is bringing about change. It can be a powerful way to raise awareness but then you have to get on the ground and actually do something.'

Prince Harry then joked about whether Mr Obama had been invited to his wedding next May, when asked if he was on the guest list.

Harry said: 'I don't know about that, we haven't even put the invite or the guest list together, who knows if he's going to be invited or not, I wouldn't want to ruin that surprise.'

The couple, who announced their engagement in November, spent Christmas with Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at Anmer Hall on the Queen's Sandringham Estate.

They all enjoyed a low-key family Christmas together and later joined the rest of the royals for a church service and lunch on Christmas Day.  

Prince Harry was at the helm of he popular BBC radio show and was the guest editor from 6am to 9am this morning.

And he began the show by playing a Grime track produced by Nottingham-based charity Community Recording Studios, which he has 'close ties' to.  

That's quite urban for Radio 4! Prince Harry gets his edition of the Today programme off to a surprising start with a GRIME song at 6.10am