Britain's Prince and Princess of Wales have wished Prince Harry a happy 40th birthday in a message on social media.
William and Kate shared an earlier post from the British 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 Harry also having a strained relationship with his father, Britain's King Charles.
A post from the British royal family account earlier on Sunday marked the first public birthday message for Harry since 2021.
A post shared on X said simply: “Wishing The Duke of Sussex a very happy 40th birthday today!”
The message was also accompanied by a picture of a smiling Harry and an emoji of a birthday cake.
Wishing a Happy 40th Birthday to The Duke of Sussex! https://t.co/ZKJbYDmV6L
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) September 15, 2024
Harry, who lives in California after stepping down from the working monarchy, is spending his birthday on Sunday with Meghan Markle and their children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
He is then said to be heading away for a gathering with close friends.
Harry enters his fifth decade in what has been a rollercoaster year for the royal family, with both Charles and Kate Middleton being diagnosed with cancer.
When Charles' 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.
🎂 Wishing The Duke of Sussex a very happy 40th birthday today! pic.twitter.com/sAlSiV9EaZ
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) September 15, 2024
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”.
Harry’s year has seen him try his hand at the skeleton bobsled when he joined Invictus Games competitors training in Canada, and undertake quasi-royal tours to Colombia and Nigeria.
In Colombia, Meghan addressed a panel on Afro-Descendant Women and Power and told how her three-year-old daughter Lili had “absolutely found her voice”.
The couple also relaunched their Archewell website, rebranding it as Sussex.com under the title The Office of Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
Skeleton at the Whistler Sliding Centre is going to be epic at the #InvictusGames Vancouver Whistler 2025
Today, our Patron, Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex alongside participants from the One Year To Go Winter Training camp got to experience how exhilarating skeleton can be.… pic.twitter.com/CL6j90Y2W7— Invictus Games Foundation 💛🖤 (@WeAreInvictus) February 15, 2024
Harry travelled to London in May to celebrate a decade of his Invictus Games and attended a service at St Paul’s Cathedral, but did not meet his brother or father.
Birmingham has won the bid to host the sporting competition in 2027, with Harry congratulating the city on its success and looking set to attend the games in the UK in three years’ time.
In July, Harry received the Pat Tillman Award for Service, awarded by sports channel ESPN to individuals in the sporting world, for using his platform to “change the world”.
But Tillman’s mother Mary reportedly expressed her shock that the honour was given to “such a controversial and divisive individual”.
Former NFL safety Steve Gleason, South Carolina women's basketball head coach Dawn Staley and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, will be honored during the @ESPYS for their courage, perseverance and service with three special accolades 🏆
More on their awards: https://t.co/b5mCyS5BZ6 pic.twitter.com/aXiPA1li7e— ESPN (@espn) June 27, 2024
In his speech, Harry praised Mrs Tillman, saying: “Her advocacy for Pat’s legacy is deeply personal and one that I respect. The bond between a mother and son is eternal and transcends even the greatest losses.”
Harry has also pursued his legal cases against tabloid newspapers over allegations of phone hacking and unlawful information gathering.
Harry told an ITV documentary that his determination to fight the tabloids over allegations of phone hacking was a “central piece” in destroying his relationship with his family.
Meanwhile, The Sunday Times reported that his legal battle with the UK Home Office over his security while in the UK had “frustrated” Charles.
Prince Harry tells @BeccaBarry his legal fight with the tabloids is a “central piece” in the breakdown of his relationship with his family.
In an ITV1 documentary, Tabloids on Trial, the Duke of Sussex says in a “public role these are the things that we should be doing for the… pic.twitter.com/D396ue6DH4— ITV News (@itvnews) July 24, 2024
Harry lost a British High Court challenge against the Home Office in February over a decision to change the level of his personal security when he visits the UK, but he has been given the green light to appeal.
During the case, the court was told Harry believes his children cannot “feel at home” in the UK if it is “not possible to keep them safe” there and that he faces a greater risk than his late mother, with “additional layers of racism and extremism”.
Elsewhere, Meghan started a new venture with the soft launch of her brand American Riviera Orchard when she sent limited edition strawberry jam to her friends – although the business has faced setbacks with its attempts at trademarking.
Harry’s new Netflix documentary series about the world of polo is set to air in December.
POLO is a new documentary series that follows elite global players and offers an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at the fast-paced world of the sport. From Archewell Productions and Boardwalk Pictures. Premiering this December. pic.twitter.com/92vu4xYW8u
— Netflix (@netflix) September 9, 2024
There was a brief return to the UK for Harry in August for the funeral of his uncle Lord Fellowes, when he stayed at Althorp, the ancestral home of his late mother Diana, Princess of Wales.
He reportedly had no interaction with William at the church service.
Harry has an upcoming trip to New York later this month, where he will carry out visits for his Archewell Foundation, and engagements with African Parks, The Halo Trust, The Diana Award, and Travalyst.
