A royal expert has spoken out after Harry’s birthday last weekLeo Roberts, Sam Dimmer Nottinghamshire Live Executive Editor and Shelley Spadoni
06:45, 22 Sep 2025Updated 11:27, 22 Sep 2025
A Royal expert says Princess Kate sent a clear message to her brother in law on his birthday(Image: Getty Images)
Prince Harry may have improved the situation with his father, King Charles, but it seems that relations with the Princess of Wales remain decidedly chilly. This was particularly evident when Kate remained silent on Harry’s birthday last week.
The Duke of Sussex celebrated his 41st birthday on 15 September, just a few days after his historic meeting with his father at Clarence House – their first in-person encounter in 19 months. Although their meeting lasted only 54 minutes, it is viewed as a significant step towards repairing 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 lack of public acknowledgement of his birthday is a clear sign they’re still upset over his past actions. “Kate’s silence spoke a thousand words,” Duncan 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 further explains that due to strict Royal protocol, the couple can only express their feelings through subtle signals. In this case, it appears their silence spoke volumes, reports the Mirror.
“Neither Kate, nor William, can speak out publicly about Harry and Meghan,” he clarifies.
“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 expressed a wish to bring his children back to the UK for visits and foster a closer relationship with their British family, is reportedly keen to mend the rift.”
“I think Harry would love William and Kate to forgive him and Meghan,” says Duncan. “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, whilst others have suggested that the royals may have been preoccupied with President Donald Trump’s recent state visit.
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 in particular, Kate – are struggling 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 the cold shoulder from his sister-in-law, the same couldn’t be said back home in Montecito, California, where he celebrated with Meghan, 44, and their two children, Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4.