William and Kate wish Harry happy birthday in message on social media

The Prince and Princess of Wales have wished the Duke of Sussex a happy 40th birthday in a message on social media.

William and Kate shared an earlier post from the 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 the duke also having a strained relationship with his father, the King.

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A post from the 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.

Harry, who lives in California after stepping down from the working monarchy, is spending his birthday on Sunday with the Duchess of Sussex 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 the King and the Princess of Wales being diagnosed with cancer.

When the King’s 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.

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.

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 the duke 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”.

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.”

The duke 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 Home Office over his security while in the UK had “frustrated” the King.

Harry lost a 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.

There was a brief return to the UK for the duke 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.

The duke 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.