Prince Harry will be disheartened that he will have little contact with him on his 40th birthday, an expert claims. The Duke of Sussex turns 40 on September 15 and will likely be surrounded by his wife Meghan Markle and their two children Archie, 5, and Lilibet, 3.
However, he will not be with his father, King Charles, or his brother, Prince William. Since Harry stepped down from royal duties and moved to California with 43-year-old Meghan, contact between him and other members of the royal family is likely to be sparse.
When Harry celebrated his 39th birthday last year, his big day took place without any tributes from the royal family on social media. The question remains whether the royal family will publicly acknowledge Harry this time around.
Royal expert Lydia Alty said Harry would feel “insulted” by the royal family’s silence on his special day, especially in public.
Lydia told Express.co.uk: “Given that Meghan and Harry enjoy the attention, I personally think he will be disappointed. When they stepped away from the royal family, Harry and Meghan claimed they were leaving for privacy reasons, but now they are in front of cameras and at award ceremonies more often than when they were still working royals.
“The working royals have more privacy than she does, even though they have more commitments and serve the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. So I think Harry will feel insulted by her silence – especially in public!”
Although Harry will be surrounded by his closest family, the question remains whether the father of two will still feel a sense of loneliness on his birthday. “I think he will feel lonely,” Lydia explained. “As much as he despises his family’s rules and whatever, I think he will feel alone.”
The royal expert continued: “He used to be very close to his brother and his immediate family, but now that he is thousands of miles away, I think he will have great difficulty.”
Lydia said that while Harry will be happy with his family, he will “probably miss being close to the other family members and celebrating with them.”
She added: “Perhaps it even makes him jealous of Prince William’s 40th birthday when he celebrated his 40th birthday with his family in 2022. One can imagine the comparisons he makes.” The royal family’s official social media wished William a happy 40th birthday with a heartwarming thread.
“Happy Birthday, Duke of Cambridge! The second in line to the throne turns 40 and we learn more about His Royal Highness,” they wrote, sharing a brief timeline of William’s life.
