Prince William and King Charles III extended a rare 40th birthday tribute to Prince Harry amidst ongoing tensions within the Royal family. For his milestone birthday, Prince Harry received public well-wishes from his family, including identical tributes from his brother Prince William and father King Charles III as he turned 40 on September 15, following three years of silence on social media amid the family rift. The Royal family’s Instagram posted, “Wishing The Duke of Sussex a very happy 40th birthday today!” Similarly, William and Kate Middleton shared on their Instagram Stories, “Wishing a Happy 40th Birthday to the Duke of Sussex.” This marked their first birthday greeting to Harry since 2021, when they conveyed their wishes on X (formerly Twitter).
In their Instagram Stories, William and Kate reposted the Royal family’s message, featuring a July 2018 photo of Harry smiling at DogPatch Labs, a coworking space in Dublin, Ireland. The photo was taken two months after Harry’s wedding to Meghan Markle. Less than two years later, the couple announced their exit from senior royal duties and relocated to the United States, leading to a rift with the Royal family. Tensions escalated due to comments Harry and Meghan made about his relatives and the release of Harry’s controversial 2023 memoir, Spare. Harry attributes the British tabloids and his family’s lack of support in his legal battles against the press’s coverage of him and Meghan as major contributors to the family rift. Despite these tensions, Harry and Meghan have made occasional visits to the United Kingdom.
In February, Harry visited his father in London after King Charles III was diagnosed with cancer. Kate Middleton revealed weeks later that she was also undergoing cancer treatment, announcing earlier this month that she had completed her chemotherapy regimen. In 2023, Harry attended Charles’ coronation but sat apart from William and did not join the family on Buckingham Palace’s balcony, opting instead to head to the airport. The previous year, Harry and Meghan were present at Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in 2022, shortly after Harry’s 38th birthday.
Speaking on his upcoming milestone, Harry mentioned, “I was anxious about 30, but I’m excited about 40,” in a BBC statement on September 13. “No matter the age, my mission is to keep showing up and making a positive impact in the world.” As a father to Archie, 5, and Lilibet, 3, with Meghan, he intends to spend his birthday with his family before embarking on a celebratory trip with friends. “Becoming a dad to two incredibly kind and funny kids has given me a new perspective on life and sharpened my focus on my work,” he added. “Being a father is one of life’s greatest joys and has only made me more driven and committed to making this world a better place.”