Royal family have offered an olive branch of reconciliation to the estranged Prince as he turns 40

The Princess of Wales wished the Duke of Sussex a happy 40th birthday in a message on social media days after her emotional cancer comeback video.

William and Kate shared an earlier post from the royal family on X, formerly Twitter, and added their own message, which read: “Wishing a Happy 40th Birthday to The Duke of Sussex!”

Some will see the post as a surprise move given the unresolved tensions between the brothers.

Their estrangement has shown no sign of abating, with the duke also having a strained relationship with his father, the King.

A post from the royal family account earlier on Sunday marked the first public birthday message for Harry since 2021.

Harry, who lives in California, spent his birthday on Sunday with the Duchess of Sussex and their children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

He is then said to be heading away for a gathering with close friends.

 

Watch back our event: What do the royal family need to do to stay relevant?

Can the royal family and King Charles adapt to the modern age and stay relevant? Will Harry be able to rejoin The Firm? And what will the next generation of royalty be like?

These and more questions from our audience were answered in The Independent’s premium event on the future of the royal family.

Hosted by assistant editor Victoria Harper, the panel features bestselling authors Anna Pasternak and Tessa Dunlop, plus royal historian Jonathan Spangler.

Watch the full event here. If you enjoy our virtual events, please consider supporting The Independent with a donation or by subscribing to Independent Premium.

Kate and Charles with the royal family on the Palace balcony after Trooping the Colour in June (Jonathan Brady/PA) (PA Wire)

Meghan Markle ‘doesn’t regret anything’

A royal expert has claimed that the Duchess of Sussex “does not regret” upsetting the royal family.

Royal author Ingrid Seward said that the former actress is good at sticking by her decisions, regardless of the consequences.

She told GB News: “I don’t think Meghan regrets anything. She doesn’t seem to regret the fact that she never speaks to her own father, I still find that very strange.”

“She doesn’t seem to regret the fact that her first marriage failed. She doesn’t seem to regret that she’s upset the Royal Family,” Ms Seward added.

“I don’t think she’s a girl that has regrets. I think that she’s very strong and very determined.”

A royal expert has claimed that Meghan Markle does not experience regret in life. (Meghan Markle/Instagram)

‘Rift between Harry and William still strong’

BBC royal correspondent Daniela Relph hs claimed the Prince of Wales and Prince Harry no longer talk as the younger sibling turns 40.

She said in an article for Harry’s birthday: “There is anger, frustration and bitterness that shows no sign of easing.

“Harry’s TV interviews, book and public criticism of the Royal Family has been too much for his older brother and several other senior royals.”

A source told her: “I just can’t see a fix.

“It’s been a long time now and they haven’t found a peace. Their lives are now very separate. It’s sad.”

Britain Prince Harry Turning 40 (Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Prince Harry recalls ‘cold-blooded’ gift from relative in Spare

In his memoir Spare, Prince Harry recounted a quirky Christmas Eve at Sandringham Estate when Princess Margaret gave him an odd gift of a tiny pen with a rubber fish wrapped around it.

“Standing before my pile, I chose to open the smallest present first. The tag said: ‘From Aunt Margo’. I looked over, called out: ‘Thank you, Aunt Margo!’,” he wrote.

After unwrapping it, Harry was taken aback and expressed his gratitude to Margaret, who emphasised that it wasn’t just any pen but a special one.

Harry reflected on the gift, noting: “It wasn’t just any biro, she pointed out. It had a tiny rubber fish wrapped around it. I said: ‘Oh. A fish biro! OK.’ I told myself: That is cold-blooded.”

(Getty Images / PA Images)

Birthday post doesn’t mean Prince William and Prince Harry are reconciled – expert

Royal expert Tom Bower has claimed the Prince and Princess of Wales’ birthday post to Prince Harry are merely about keeping up public appearances.

Speaking to MailOnline, Mr Bower said: “William and Kate’s surprise birthday wishes to Harry do not signal a step towards reconciliation. Rather it shows that the Waleses don’t want to be criticised as churlish.

“Being diplomatic costs them nothing and avoids criticism. The King understandably has congratulated his son but there’s no evidence of defrosting their relationship.”

(@KensingtonRoyal/PA Wire)

King and Queen kept to normal routine visiting church in Balmoral

The King and Queen enjoyed their usual Sunday morning routine in Balmoral after wishing Prince Harry a happy 40th birthday on social media

Charles, 75, and Camilla, 77, went to their regular church service at nearby Craithie Kirk.

It came as Harry enters his fifth decade in what has been a rollercoaster year for the royal family, with both the King and the Princess of Wales being diagnosed with cancer.

When the King’s shock health news was announced in February, Harry made a transatlantic dash to see him but his meeting with his father was kept to just 45 minutes.

In comments released to the BBC, the duke said “I was anxious about 30, I’m excited about 40”, and described how fatherhood had given him a renewed sense of purpose to make “this world a better place”.

Prince Harry has no intention of returning to royal family – friend

In a report by the BBC for the Duke of Sussex’s 40th birthday, senior royal correspondent Daniela Relph said that reports of Harry making a sensational return to the royal family were wide of the mark.

According to the royal correspondent, a friend of Harry’s said that although he would like to come over more for work, he would not relocate to the UK.

“Why would he give up everything he’s achieved there to return here? His life is now in America,” the source said.

Britain Prince Harry (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Prince Harry will feel ‘delighted’ after surprise birthday greetings from Prince and Princess of Wales

Prince Harry is said to be delighted after William and Kate shared an earlier post from the royal family on X, adding: “Wishing a Happy 40th Birthday to The Duke of Sussex!”

Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams tolf the Express: “The Palace had a policy of only recognising the birthdays of working royals on social media. This marks a change but it is a special occasion. It is a sensible move that naturally begs the question, are tensions easing?

“It is in everyone’s interest to have reconciliation and that, if it happens, it will almost certainly take a long time. Mutual trust will need to be restored.

“However the obvious first step is to cease all hostilities.”

He added: “It would build on the pleasure Harry must surely feel in having his special day marked unexpectedly on social media by the royal family.”

Princess Diana’s nickname for Prince Harry resurfaces on is 40th birthday

The late Princess Diana’s adorable nickname for her son Harry has remerged on social media as the Duke of Sussex turns 40.

A TikTok video shared by Tyla, a sister brand of LadBible, revealed Diana fondly referred to her younger son as ‘My little Spencer’.

The Duke of Sussex opened up about dealing with his mother’s death as he urged children not to “suppress” their emotions as he once did.

Prince Harry, 39, was just 12 when his mother, Princess Diana, died in a car crash in Paris.

During the 20th anniversary year of the death of the Princess of Wales, Harry opened up in a newspaper interview, saying he spent nearly 20 years “not thinking” about his mother’s death and eventually got help after two years of “total chaos”.

Britain Prince Harry (1987 AP)

Prince and Princess of Wales share birthday greeting with Harry

The Prince and Princess of Wales have wished the Duke of Sussex a happy 40th birthday in a message on social media.

William and Kate shared an earlier post from the royal family on X, formerly Twitter, and added their own message, which read: “Wishing a Happy 40th Birthday to The Duke of Sussex!”

Some will see the post as a surprise move given the unresolved tensions between the brothers.

Their estrangement has shown no sign of abating, with the duke also having a strained relationship with his father, the King.

A post from the royal family account earlier on Sunday marked the first public birthday message for Harry since 2021.