The Prince and Princess of Wales have extended an olive branch in their ongoing rift with the Duke of Sussex by publicly wishing Prince Harry a happy birthday for the first time in three years.
On the social media platform X, the royal family posted a smiling photograph of Harry to mark his 40th birthday, accompanied by a cake emoji. The message read: “Wishing The Duke of Sussex a very happy 40th birthday today!”
William and Kate followed suit, reposting the message with almost identical wording on their X account: “Wishing a Happy 40th Birthday to The Duke of Sussex!”
This marks the first public birthday greeting for Harry from the royal family since 2021, the same year the Sussexes accused unnamed royals of animosity and racism during their interview with Oprah Winfrey.
Harry celebrated his birthday on Sunday at his California home with Meghan, Prince Archie, and Princess Lilibet. Reports suggest he planned a gathering with close friends later on.
Since stepping down as a working royal in 2020, Harry has remained estranged from his brother, Prince William, and has a strained relationship with their father, King Charles.
In February, Harry flew to the UK to see his father following the king’s cancer diagnosis, though the meeting lasted just 45 minutes, and he did not meet with William.
Harry returned to London in May for a celebration marking a decade of his Invictus Games, attending a service at St. Paul’s Cathedral, but again did not reunite with his brother or father.
In August, he briefly returned to the UK for the funeral of his uncle, Lord Fellowes, staying at Althorp, the ancestral home of his late mother, Princess Diana. Despite attending the church service, he reportedly had no interaction with William.
The Duke of Sussex continues to pursue legal cases against tabloid newspapers over phone hacking and unlawful information gathering, which he believes has further strained his relationship with his family. In his memoir, Spare, Harry accused the royal family of colluding with the media through alleged leaks, believing he was used as “collateral damage.”
In a July ITV documentary, Harry revealed that his fight against the tabloids over phone hacking allegations has been a “central piece” in damaging his family ties.
Harry is also embroiled in a separate legal battle with the Home Office regarding his security when visiting the UK, which has reportedly “frustrated” King Charles.
In February, Harry lost a high court challenge against the Home Office’s decision to reduce his personal security in the UK, though he has been granted leave to appeal. During the case, it was revealed that Harry feels his children cannot “feel at home” in the UK unless they can be kept safe, noting he faces even greater risks than his late mother, Princess Diana, with “additional layers of racism and extremism.”