Prince Harry may have begun to repair relations with his father but when it comes to the Princess of Wales, the atmosphere remains distinctly chilly.
Nothing demonstrated this more clearly than Kate’s silence regarding Harry’s birthday last week. The Duke of Sussex celebrated his 41st birthday on September 15, just days following his significant meeting with his father at Clarence House – their first face-to-face encounter in 19 months.
While their reunion lasted merely 54 minutes, it has been viewed as a substantial step towards mending Royal relationships. However, there are no indications of a reconciliation between Harry and his brother or sister-in-law – and Royal expert Duncan Larcombe believes their absence of public recognition of his milestone birthday is a clear indication they remain hurt by his previous actions, reports the Mirror.
“Kate’s silence spoke a thousand words,” he said. “They didn’t post anything on his birthday, which the royals normally would do. So Kate’s message was loud and clear: the ball’s not in our court, Harry – it’s in yours.”
Duncan adds that, owing to rigid Royal protocol, the couple can only express their sentiments through subtle gestures. In this instance, it appears their silence conveyed everything.
“Neither Kate, nor William, can speak out publicly about Harry and Meghan,” he explains. “They have kept silent throughout all of this and rolled with all the punches, so they’re forced into subtle, secret messaging – which is what this seems to be. “They’re not prepared to call Harry’s bluff by sending him joyful birthday wishes, so they remain silent and avoid him at all costs.
“However, Harry, who has voiced his wish to bring his youngsters back to Britain for visits and foster a stronger bond with their UK relatives, is reportedly keen to mend the fractured relationship. I think Harry would love William and Kate to forgive him and Meghan. He’s been cast out, so why wouldn’t he want to come in from the cold?
“But equally, I’m not sure Harry has done anything to demonstrate publicly his desire to reconcile with his brother and Kate, and let bygones be bygones. As for Meghan, she has shown no signs of wanting reconciliation with any of the royals – she’s living her dream and promoting her own career. I don’t think she cares about what Kate and William think of her. She’s in her own Meghan bubble.”
Last year, to mark Harry’s milestone 40th, both Charles and William and Kate publicly sent birthday messages. “Wishing The Duke of Sussex a very happy 40th birthday today!” the Royal family’s official social media handle posted in 2024.
The post was re-shared on the Prince and Princess of Wales’ joint page. Yet this year, the silence was deafening.
Some believe this could be down to the fact that the prince’s recent birthday isn’t a significant milestone, while others have suggested that the royals may have been occupied with President Donald Trump’s recent state visit.
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But Duncan says last week’s snub, and the fact that they didn’t meet up during Harry’s four-day visit to the UK, is a clear indication that William – and particularly, Kate – are finding it difficult to forgive and forget.
During their 2021 Oprah interview, Meghan claimed that Kate made her cry – and not the other way around, during their now-infamous row over bridesmaid dresses. The accusation was later corroborated in Prince Harry’s 2023 memoir, Spare.
“Let’s not forget, Harry and Meghan branded [Kate] a liar, which is pretty hard to forgive,” says Duncan. “So they clearly made the decision that they didn’t want to meet Harry when he was back in the UK – in fact, they almost went out of their way to avoid him.
“They are not ready for any reconciliation, but King Charles was probably put in a difficult situation with Harry’s high-profile visit, as in some ways if he hadn’t met him, it would have been a bigger story. But that doesn’t apply to William. He’s still reeling at his brother because of the things that have been said about his wife – the personal attacks on Kate.”
Whilst Harry may have received a frosty reception from his sister-in-law, the same couldn’t be said back home in Montecito, California, where he marked the occasion with Meghan, 44, and their two children, Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, four.
On the morning of his special day, Meg shared a photograph of her husband in military dress, penning, “Oh hi, Birthday Boy” followed by a fire emoji.
Just days before she had publicly celebrated Harry’s return to the US with a photograph showing two glasses of her As Ever rosé wine, accompanied by the caption, “When your beau is back in town.”
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While it’s evident William and Kate might not be keen for Harry to return to the UK, it appears the Duke of Sussex’s encounter with the King has opened the door for future visits.
When asked if he would like to bring his children back to Britain, he replied, “This week has definitely brought that closer.”
Regrettably, it doesn’t seem likely that William or Kate will be rushing to a warm family reunion in the near future. “The last time Harry was in London, William wasn’t even in the same country,” Duncan points out.
“And it’s three years since the Queen’s death, which marks three years since Kate and William even saw Harry and Meghan. That’s a long time. They’re still clearly furious with Harry, so never mind reconciliation – it looks like relations are as sour as ever.”
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