Meghan Markle is set to receive a private birthday honor from King Charles and Queen Camilla, according to former royal butler Grant Harrold. Despite the well-documented rift within the royal family, the monarch and his consort may decide to mark the Duchess of Sussex’s special day with a personal tribute. The former Suits actress will turn 43 on August 4, and reportedly, Prince Harry will ensure his wife is celebrated. Last year, the royal family did not publicly acknowledge her 42nd birthday, fueling speculation about the ongoing family tensions.
“Harry will make sure that Meghan is celebrated. I think they will get messages from the King and the Queen,” Harrold told OK Magazine. “Whether that be electronically or by old-fashioned mail, I still think the King and Queen will send birthday messages.”
Harrold believes this tradition is unlikely to change despite the deepening rift between the families. Until Meghan’s 41st birthday, the Queen, the King, and the Prince and Princess of Wales would publicly wish her well through their social media sites, often posting a photograph with a caption. However, this did not happen in 2023, leading to speculation that any birthday wishes were sent privately.
Regarding official public postings on X (formerly Twitter), Harrold commented, “I doubt there will be any public wishes made. They used to post on social media, but that hasn’t happened in the past few years, and I doubt that will change”, told The Express.
He added, “They may send a gift as well, but given everything that has happened, there might not be one. If they were all still getting along, I can imagine it would be a piece of jewelry or something from the royal collection, possibly a hand-me-down from the late Queen.”
Earlier reports from PEOPLE indicated that King Charles is giving Harry the silent treatment as the Duke’s legal battle in the UK over security and media invasion continues. The phones are reportedly going unanswered. Additionally, an insider revealed that Meghan Markle wishes Prince Harry would “let go of these lawsuits” for security protection for their family and “be free.”
“She wants him to be free of all of this, but she also knows that because of everything he’s been through and his love for [her and their children], he can’t,” a former employee of the Sussexes told PEOPLE. “She wants him to live in a world where he is not burdened by this.”
As Meghan’s birthday approaches, it remains to be seen if this year will bring any public or private gestures from the royal family, potentially signaling a step towards mending their fractured relationships.