The Royal Family’s social media posts wishing Prince Harry a happy 40th birthday “show no evidence of thawing their relationship”, a royal expert has claimed.
The Royal Family’s official X account posted birthday wishes for Harry at around 8.30am this morning, writing: ‘Wishing The Duke of Sussex a very happy 40th birthday today!’
The post was followed by a separate statement from the Prince and Princess of Wales who shared a similar message to the Duke.
Despite hopes that the public messages signal a step towards reconciliation between the feuding families, royal expert Tom Bower has said the posts serve only to keep up public appearances.
Speaking to MailOnline, Bower said: “William and Kate’s surprise birthday wishes to Harry do not indicate a step towards reconciliation. Rather, they show the Waleses do not want to be criticised for being rude.
‘Being diplomatic costs them nothing and avoids criticism. The King has understandably congratulated his son, but there is no indication that their relationship has thawed.’
Prince Harry, Prince William and King Charles pictured together in July 2018
The Royal Family’s official X account posted a birthday greeting to the Duke of Sussex this morning
Prince Harry also received a surprise birthday message from Prince William and Kate just hours after the King and Queen posted the message.
Bower added: “It is worth noting that when Harry attended the funeral of his uncle Robert Fellowes two weeks ago, he did not see his father. Nothing has changed.
‘Harry refuses to apologise for the horrible things he has said and written about his family and his family cannot understand why Harry expects them to apologise.’
However, royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams said the surprise greeting could be seen as an olive branch that could help smooth relations between the family.
He told MailOnline: ‘What we hope will happen further down the road is private approaches that we don’t know about and that the Sussexes don’t leak to the media. Then real progress can be made in repairing relations.
Mr Fitzwilliams added: The release of Spare, Harry’s explosive best-selling memoir, in paperback next month will not please the royal family. However, Harry will not be promoting it as originally done and it has not been expanded or updated. That, in itself, may be an olive branch.
‘A security gesture, if he were to lose the case at the Court of Appeal, to ensure that he and his family had automatic security when visiting Britain, would certainly also help.
“Hopefully, these unexpected public well wishes will generate a feeling of goodwill that will continue to be passed on. So, following this recognition of her birthday by the Royal Family, it is possible that something constructive will happen in the coming weeks and months.”
Prince Harry and Prince William at the unveiling of their mother’s statue in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace on what would have been her 60th birthday.
Prince Harry with his wife Meghan Markle and their two children Archie and Lilibet in 2021
Royal expert Tom Bower (pictured) claimed the birthday posts were simply meant to keep up public appearances.
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams (pictured) claimed the birthday posts could be seen as an olive branch that could help smooth relations between the feuding family.
While tensions remain between William and Harry, it is unclear whether Prince William will make a public gesture to acknowledge his brother’s milestone birthday.
Harry is due to celebrate his birthday privately in Montecito, where he now lives with his wife Meghan, 43, and their children Archie, five, and Lilibet, three.
There had been no indication whether King Charles, 75, and Prince William, 42, would post public happy birthday messages today, but the King and Queen, and now Prince William and Kate Middleton, clearly wanted to mark the occasion early, hours before the US West Coast wakes up.
To continue their big birthday celebrations, it is understood that Prince Harry will go on holiday with his “closest friends” to celebrate his birthday, while Meghan will stay at home with their two children.
Harry and Meghan have travelled to Nigeria and Colombia in recent months, while the couple also returned to the UK to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games.
But the duke’s 40th birthday follows a tumultuous period for the royal family, with bombshell interviews, TV shows and a book seemingly alienating Harry further from his family.
