Sun Sep 15 17:15:57 UTC 2024: ## Royal Family Extends Birthday Wishes to Prince Harry, Marking a Shift in Relations
**LONDON, Sept. 15, 2024** – In a surprising turn of events, the British royal family publicly acknowledged Prince Harry’s 40th birthday on Sunday, marking the first time since his departure from royal duties in 2020 that Buckingham Palace and Prince William have publicly wished him well.
The official Royal Family account on X, formerly Twitter, shared a photo of Harry and a simple birthday message. The account for Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Prince and Princess of Wales, reposted the message and added their own well wishes.
This gesture comes amidst ongoing estrangement between Harry and the rest of the royal family, particularly Prince William, following Harry’s controversial memoir “Spare” published in 2023. The book detailed Harry’s personal struggles and alleged tensions within the family.
Despite the rift, Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, have retained their royal titles as Duke and Duchess. The couple currently resides in California with their two children, Archie and Lilibet.
For his birthday, Harry plans to celebrate with family in California before embarking on a vacation with close friends. In a statement released to the BBC, Harry expressed his excitement for this new decade, stating: “I was anxious about 30, I’m excited about 40.”
He also reflected on his role as a father, adding: “Becoming a father of two incredibly kind and funny kids has given me a fresh perspective on life, as well as sharpening my focus in all my work.”
The royal family’s public acknowledgement of Harry’s birthday has been met with mixed reactions, with some seeing it as a positive step towards reconciliation, while others remain cautious about the future of the relationship between Harry and the rest of the family.
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