Prince Harry and Meghan Markle wish their Instagram fans Merry Christmas from Canada

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have wished their Instagram followers a happy Christmas from Canada amid clamour for them to return home and join the embattled Royals at Sandringham.

At 9am – which would have been the early hours across the Atlantic where the couple are still thought to be – they wrote: ‘Wishing you all a very merry Christmas – their Royal Highness the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.’

The post, which was accompanied by emojis of a Christmas tree, Santa and a snowman, came as the Queen and other members of the Royal Family prepared to head to the annual church service on the Norfolk estate.

Harry and Meghan have stonewalled calls for them to cut short their six-week trip and return home in the wake of Prince Philip’s spell in hospital.

Queen Elizabeth II arriving to attend a church service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, Norfolk, which the Sussexes will not be attending

Last month, the Sussexes and eight-month-old Archie secretly flew to Canada for a holiday.

Since then, the Royals have endured a tough time as Prince Andrew continues to bunker down amid a swirling storm over his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein and Philip recovers from a four-night stint in the King Edward VII Hospital in Marylebone, London.

Some in the Family have privately urged Harry and Meghan to jet back to show support, according to the Sun.

A source told the newspaper: ‘Even before the Duke became ill, many were at a loss as to why Harry and Meghan would miss what could be one of the last family Christmases with the Queen and Philip… 

‘There is a feeling they are being inconsiderate and selfish, given the Queen and Philip’s advancing age.’

The Royals have endured a tough time in recent months as Prince Andrew (walking to the church service today with Prince Charles) continues to bunker down amid a swirling storm over his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein

But the couple is seemingly staying put in North America and is ignoring calls for their return.

The couple have missed the Queen’s pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace and will miss the monarch’s annual get together at her private Sandringham estate in Norfolk.

It comes after a family Christmas card of the royal couple smiling in front of a Christmas tree, with Archie’s adorable face staring down the camera lens, was revealed.

The Duchess, a former actress, lived and worked in Toronto during her time starring in the popular US drama Suits, and the couple were famously pictured together when Meghan joined her then-boyfriend Harry at the 2017 Invictus Games in the Canadian city.

Buckingham Palace had previously announced the Sussexes intended to take a six-week break from duties and would not spend Christmas at Sandringham with the Royal Family.