The King extended his best wishes to Prince Harry for his 40th birthday via social media, using a cake emoji. The Duke of Sussex is expected to celebrate this milestone with a subdued family gathering in Montecito.
The King and Queen extended their birthday wishes to Prince Harry on social media this morning, celebrating the Duke of Sussex’s 40th birthday.
The official X (formerly Twitter) account for the Royal Family posted birthday wishes to Prince Harry around 8:30 a.m. UK time. The succinct message, accompanied by a birthday cake emoji, read: “Wishing The Duke of Sussex a very happy 40th birthday today!”
The post featured a photo of a smiling Prince Harry in a grey suit and white shirt, taken in 2018 during a visit to the ‘Digital Docklands’ in Dublin with the Duchess of Sussex, when he was still a working royal.
Prince Harry is expected to celebrate his milestone birthday privately in Montecito, where he resides with his wife Meghan, 43, and their children Archie, five, and Lilibet, three. There was no indication whether King Charles, 75, and Prince William, 42, would issue public birthday messages today, but the King and Queen chose to acknowledge the occasion early, ahead of the start of the day on the West Coast of America.
As of now, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have not commented on Prince Harry’s 40th birthday. It is understood that Prince Harry will subsequently embark on a holiday with his closest friends to continue his celebrations, while Meghan will remain at home with their two children.
In recent months, Harry and Meghan have traveled to Nigeria and Colombia and have also returned to the UK to mark the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games.
However, this milestone birthday comes at a time of considerable tension within the Royal Family, with recent interviews, television appearances, and a book seemingly widening the rift between Harry and his relatives.
According to US celebrity magazine People, Prince Harry did not see his father during his recent brief visit to the UK for the memorial service of his uncle, Lord Fellowes, and they are reportedly no longer in communication.
Prince William also attended the service, but the brothers did not converse. This 40th birthday stands in sharp contrast to Harry’s 30th, which was celebrated with a black-tie event at Clarence House, attended by both Harry and his brother.
Despite the ongoing family tensions, a source has indicated that King Charles will reach out to Harry as soon as he wakes up, affirming that there remains “a lot of love” between father and son.
The monarch is anticipated to call his youngest son via Skype on Sunday afternoon UK time, allowing them to speak as soon as the Duke of Sussex awakens in California.
According to another source, there will be no call between Prince William and Prince Harry, as the brothers are reportedly not in contact. However, the Duke of Sussex is expected to receive a call from his father early on his 40th birthday, with a royal insider informing the Sunday Express that there remains “a lot of love” within the family.
The source noted that King Charles and Prince Harry typically use Skype for their communications, as it allows them to see each other and ensures a smooth connection facilitated by staff.
Despite Harry and William often celebrating major milestones together in the past, the Mirror reports that there will be no transatlantic call between the two on Harry’s birthday.
The insider remarked, “What a difference the years have made. When Harry turned 30, it seemed as though nothing could come between him and his brother. They were poised to become the new face of the royals, bringing much-needed modernization to the Firm.
“However, now William and Harry no longer communicate. Previously, they always celebrated major milestones together, but there will be no transatlantic call between them on Harry’s birthday.”
The rift between the brothers widened significantly after Prince Harry released his memoir, Spare, in January. Reports indicate that Prince William suggested there was “zero chance” of Harry being reintegrated into the Royal Family. In the book, Harry criticized several Royal Family members, accusing William of assaulting him over a dispute regarding Meghan and alleging that his brother and their father confronted him after Prince Philip’s funeral, “looking for a fight.”
Harry also alleged that William and Kate encouraged him to wear his controversial Nazi fancy dress costume.
