On September 15, Prince Harry celebrated his 40th birthday in California, far from his previous life in the British Royal Family. Ten years ago, he was a working Royal, had just finished his military service and launched the successful Invictus Games in London. Back then, his father, now King Charles, was by his side, often praising his achievements.

Today, Harry lives in the United States with his wife, Meghan Markle, and their two children, Archie, aged five, and Lilibet, aged three.

While he enjoys walks on the beach and casual dinners with friends in Montecito, his relationships with his father and brother, Prince William, are reportedly strained.

This tension grew after Harry’s Netflix series and the release of his memoir, which many believe widened the rift within the royal family.

Royal historian Dr. Tessa Dunlop believes that Harry would be happier if his father showed more support.”Service, then and now, makes Harry happy. The big difference is ten years ago Harry had his Dad by his side. ‘Well done, darling boy’ was Charles’s response to Harry’s first Invictus performance,” she told the Mirror.

“Nowadays, the Prince is a seasoned performer, but I suspect he’d be far happier if his father was still cheering him from the sidelines. A landmark birthday is always a good place to start. Fingers crossed the King found the time to reach out to his son on his birthday of all days,” she added.

Prince Harry at 40

As he turns 40, Prince Harry is enthusiastic about the future. He has told the BBC that, although he felt anxious upon reaching 30, he now looks forward to this new chapter in his life and aims to continue doing good in the world.

He also believes that becoming a father to two delightful children has transformed his perspective and made him more dedicated to creating a better world.