The British Royal family sent Prince Harry a happy birthday message, using a photo with Meghan Markle cropped out. The image was posted on the famous family’s official Twitter account with an accompanying caption, “Wishing a Happy 40th Birthday to The Duke of Sussex.” It was the first birthday message to Harry from “the firm,” the administrative body that runs the Royal family, since 2021. The Prince and Princess of Wales, William and Kate, retweeted the message.
The photo, taken in Ireland in 2018, originally showed the Prince with his then-new bride, Meghan Markle. However, “the firm” removed her from the birthday image, prompting more commentary in the British media that the row between the Sussexes and the Monarchy may drag on for some time.
Once much loved in his home country, the Prince turned 40 on September 15 and spent the day with his family and friends. Over a weekend of celebration, Harry and Meghan attended the George Zajfen Tennis Tournament in Los Angeles on Saturday before Harry jetted off with pals for a vacation while Meghan returned alone to their Montecito home.
Prince William, the future King, was not among the group of friends as the brothers have not spoken since Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in September 2022.
Ingrid Seward, a prominent Royal biographer and editor of Majesty Magazine, recently spoke out about Princess Diana and her concerns for her youngest son, Prince Harry. To mark Harry’s birthday, Seward spoke to the media about his life, which she has documented for years, and said Diana would be crushed to know her boys do not talk to each other. She also revealed that William bullied Harry as a child and that the younger brother always felt inadequate compared to the future King. “It was nothing to do with Diana, nothing to do with Charles, but it was just there,” she said.
It is likely, however, that the structure of the Monarchy, which elevated William above almost all other family members, took its toll on young Prince Harry. In the British Royal family, those born in direct line to the throne are prepared for the role from birth, and this often leaves siblings in their shadow.
Princess Margaret, the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II, spoke about life as “spare to the heir” and said it placed numerous restrictions on her because most of her decisions were measured against the impact the would have on her sibling. A glamorous lover of parties and a rebel against tradition, Princess Margaret said she understood, however, and was ultimately willing to prioritize the Monarchy and her sister above her desires for privacy and personal freedom.
