Meghan Markle was deliberately excluded from the birthday photo shared online by the royal family of her husband, Prince Harry.
On Sunday, Prince Harry received birthday greetings from his father, King Charles III, and his brother and sister-in-law, Prince William and Kate Middleton.
The photo chosen to commemorate Harry’s 40th birthday was a cheerful 2018 image of him visiting Dogpatch Labs in Dublin.
However, the original picture featured his wife, Meghan Markle, seated beside him at a table with others.
This birthday message marked the first public acknowledgment of Harry’s birthday by the royal family in three years.
“Wishing The Duke of Sussex a very happy 40th birthday today!” wrote the official Royal Family account, managed by Charles’ office at Buckingham Palace.
The official Prince and Princess of Wales account also reposted the message, adding: “Wishing a Happy 40th Birthday to The Duke of Sussex!”
The post reported that Harry would also receive a phone call from some of his estranged relatives on his birthday.
After the passing of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022, Charles implemented a new protocol limiting social media posts to feature only working members of the royal family.
Harry and Meghan, the Invictus Games founder and the “Suits” alum, relinquished their royal responsibilities in January 2020.
Since their move to North America, Harry has faced challenges in his relationships with his father, Charles, and his brother, William.
The couple, consisting of the military veteran Harry and biracial Meghan, have shared negative experiences during their time in the UK, including concerns from the royal family about the skin color of their son, Archie, at birth.
Harry also openly discussed his estrangement from his family in his revealing memoir, “Spare.”
Most recently, Harry and William were in the same room at their uncle’s funeral in Norfolk, but they did not interact.
