Prince Harry is turning 41 on the 15th, and his celebrations with his friends and family in California are no doubt already in full swing.
Prince Harry is set to ring in his 41st birthday tomorrow, likely surrounded by loved ones in sunny California. This comes just days after his whirlwind UK trip and a visit to Ukraine.
While the Duke of Sussex might be planning an extravagant birthday celebration, his plans for his 30th birthday were abruptly put on hold due to his sister-in-law, the Princess of Wales. Flashback to Harry’s 30th birthday. Before he met Meghan Markle and was still an active member of the Royal family, he had planned a grand party to mark this significant milestone with the assistance of his brother, Prince William, and his wife.
It comes as Harry faces a ‘fresh Meghan dilemma’ after reuniting with King Charles.
In fact, it was reported that in the run-up to his 30th birthday in 2014, William and Kate were busy organizing an intimate family birthday dinner for Harry.
The guest list included his Royal cousins Princesses Beatrice, Eugenie, and Zara Tindall, along with close friends at Kensington Palace.
However, as the day drew closer, Harry decided to cancel the bash. Just prior to his birthday, the now-Princess of Wales began experiencing severe morning sickness while pregnant with Princess Charlotte.
Kensington Palace officials confirmed at the time that Kate was suffering from morning sickness during her second pregnancy. Given his sister-in-law’s condition, Harry decided to call off the party.
An insider revealed to the Mirror: “Harry was in no doubt that the party should be postponed, even though 30 is an important milestone. Kate had been very involved in organizing Harry’s party, and once she fell ill he felt it wrong to let the event go ahead.”
However, Vanity Fair later reported that the celebration did eventually take place – but at Clarence House instead of Kensington Palace, with Prince Charles even sending champagne for the guests.
The relationship between Prince Harry and Kate Middleton is vastly different from what it was in 2014, with the two not crossing paths last week during Harry’s rare visit to the UK.
Upon his arrival in his homeland, Prince Harry journeyed to Windsor to pay tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth on the third anniversary of her passing.
Meanwhile, just 8 miles away, Prince William and Kate were also honoring the late queen with a visit to the Women’s Institute in Sunningdale.
Kate wasn’t initially scheduled to join William at the event, but made a last-minute decision to support him on the poignant anniversary. It’s speculated that Kate’s unexpected appearance alongside William could be a strategic move, with Judi James suggesting that the mother of three might be trying to “avoid being check-mated by the rogue royal”.
In a conversation with the Mirror, Judi noted: “We’ve already seen Harry on a ring doorbell looking like a fan of the impromptu drop-in, and William’s outing to Sunningdale might have left one (future) queen alone and socially vulnerable if a request for afternoon tea was made.
“Kate and Harry used to be so close, and whereas a ‘Sorry I’m up in Sunningdale’ response might be neutral and polite enough, being at home, but turning him down could make Kate risk being made to look like the bad guy when Harry reported back to the US.
“There’s a huge difference between being unavailable and appearing to actively shun someone, and the movements of the royals today suggest they are very mindful of the dangers of the ‘Harry effect’ on their own image and popularity.”
