How the royals will mark Meghan Markle's 45th birthday
King Charles III is expected to quietly send birthday wishes to Meghan Markle for her 45th birthday Tuesday, while Prince William and Catherine are unlikely to reach out amid the ongoing family rift, royal commentators told Page Six. How the royals will mark the day remains private, with no social media posts planned.
Key Takeaways
- King Charles is expected to send discreet birthday wishes or a modest gift through staff.
- Prince William and Princess Catherine are not expected to acknowledge Markle's birthday.
- Palace social channels are not expected to post public birthday wishes.
- Harry and Meghan recently reunited privately with Charles and Camilla at Highgrove.
- The family has not publicly marked Markle's birthday since the couple stepped back in 2020.
According to Page Six, some royal family members may acknowledge the Duchess of Sussex's milestone, while others could give her the cold shoulder amid her estrangement from her in-laws.
Will King Charles send Meghan birthday wishes?
Royal commentator Tom Sykes told Page Six that Charles will very likely send birthday wishes. "The king is a scrupulously polite man, and I'm quite certain he would wish to send his daughter-in-law his birthday wishes," Sykes said.
Royals expert Kinsey Schofield agreed, saying she expects Charles will "quietly" send a birthday card or modest gift "through his staff." She noted Charles "has rarely gone out of his way to be overtly unkind toward Meghan," and that a discreet gesture would fit his character.
Which royals could snub the Duchess of Sussex?
Sykes does not expect birthday wishes from Prince William and Catherine. Schofield, host of "R is for Revenge Dress," likewise believes the Prince and Princess of Wales will not acknowledge Markle's birthday "in any capacity."
"The relationship simply isn't there anymore," Schofield said. "They believe Meghan played a significant role in the breakdown of family trust, and I think any suggestion that they're secretly exchanging birthday wishes belongs more in the realm of wishful thinking than reality."
The strained bond between Harry and William appears to remain unresolved, even as Harry works to ease tensions with his father.
Will the palace post about Meghan's birthday online?
Sykes said there is zero chance of an official Instagram acknowledgment. "Birthday wishes to a private citizen would be sent privately," he explained, pointing to Harry and Meghan's 2020 resignation from royal roles. "There's absolutely no way anything will be put on social media feeds or anything like that."
Schofield added that official birthday wishes are reserved for working royals. "Harry, Meghan, and their children haven't been included in that policy for several years," she said, noting palace officials would frame it as protocol, not personal.
There have been no public palace posts about Markle's birthday since the couple moved to California. For more celebrity headlines, visit our Celebrity Breaking News hub.
Are Harry and Meghan still mending fences with Charles?
Harry, 41, and Markle recently visited Charles and Queen Camilla with Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, at Highgrove House—the first gathering of the Sussexes and the king and queen all together in four years.
A source told Page Six the audience "wasn't entirely warm and fuzzy," though Harry and Charles have been working on easing tensions after the king's 2024 cancer disclosure. Harry is reportedly expected to return to the UK in September, with a possible stay at Buckingham Palace.
Last year, Markle celebrated her 44th birthday with family and friends at Funke in Beverly Hills. Page Six has reached out to reps for the Sussexes, Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace for comment.