King Charles has publicly wished Prince Harry a happy 40th birthday, posting a message on the Royal Family's social media accounts. The Duke of Sussex, who turned 40 on Sunday, has been estranged from the monarchy since stepping down as a working royal in 2020.
The post featured a smiling photo of Harry in a grey suit jacket with the caption: “Wishing The Duke of Sussex a very happy 40th birthday today!” The gesture has sparked mixed reactions from royal fans, with some criticising the decision to acknowledge Harry after his bombshell interviews and memoir.
On X, formerly Twitter, one user wrote: “Don't even bother doing this, he's betrayed you all so many times! He doesn't deserve your well wishes.” Another commented: “After all the hurt he’s caused his family they shouldn’t care at all about his birthday.”
However, others welcomed the public birthday greeting as a sign of improved relations. One person said: “Happy Birthday Harry! So wonderful to see him acknowledged.” Another added: “This is the best picture I’ve seen of him in a long time, he looks really happy & healthy.”
The late Queen set a precedent that non-working royals may receive public birthday wishes on milestone birthdays, such as those ending in zero. Harry is celebrating in California with his wife Meghan Markle and their two children, Archie and Lilibet.
