The Royal Family did not post public birthday wishes for Meghan Markle this week, but a little-known royal rule explains why. The Duchess of Sussex turned 45 on Tuesday, August 4, yet the royal social media channels stayed silent, just as they did last year.
Rule Implemented in 2022
The guideline was introduced towards the end of Queen Elizabeth II's reign in 2022. Under the new social media rules, the Royal Family only publicly marks birthdays of non-working royals when the age ends in a zero, which is typically considered a milestone.
When Meghan turned 41 in 2022, the late Queen's X account remained silent, and many royal watchers labeled it a "snub" – despite the family wishing her a happy 40th birthday the year before. In 2021, they shared three pictures of the Duchess with the message: "Wishing the Duchess of Sussex a very happy birthday today!"
Meghan's Own Celebration
On Tuesday, Meghan shared glimpses of her birthday celebrations at home. She posted two black-and-white photos of herself jumping into a pool holding birthday balloons, accompanied by the message: "Thank you for the birthday love!"
Later, she shared two videos on Instagram Stories. In one, she danced in her kitchen in Montecito, California, next to a kitchen island decorated with large "happy birthday" balloons. She was barefoot, dressed in white pyjamas – white trousers and an oversized T-shirt reading "It's giving Mrs." – with her hair in a bun under a "birthday" tiara.
Prince Harry, who likely recorded the video, could be heard laughing in the background, saying: "Oh dear." Their breakfast appeared to include bagels, tomatoes, herbs, and cheese, with meat on the pan and flowers on the plate.
In a second video, their two dogs – beagle Mia and Labrador Pula – joined the celebration wearing matching birthday hats, and Harry again said: "Oh dear."
