Royal Family breaks with tradition to wish Prince Harry happy birthday with social media post

The Royal Family has made a notable move by extending birthday wishes to Prince Harry via social media as he celebrates his 40th birthday.

The Duke of Sussex, who is marking the milestone today, is said to be spending the day with Meghan Markle and their two children, Archie, aged five, and two year old Lilibet . Plans for the weekend include quality time with friends and family in the States, but there's also buzz about a potential reconciliatory meeting with his father, King Charles III , during his upcoming visit to the UK.

The Royal Family didn't miss a beat and took to X, previously known as Twitter, to share their celebratory message this morning.

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Their official account posted: "Wishing The Duke of Sussex a very happy 40th birthday today! " This public acknowledgment is particularly significant since it's not common for non-working royals to receive such greetings on the family's official social media channels.

It's been three years since Prince Harry last received a birthday shout-out from the Royal Family account, which was back in 2021 when Queen Elizabeth II was still reigning. Similarly, the Prince and Princess of Wales' account last publicly acknowledged his birthday that same year, reports the Mirror .

As Harry enters his 40s, he expressed to the BBC his enthusiasm for this new chapter, saying he feels "excited" about what lies ahead.

He shared with the broadcaster that fatherhood and "sharpening my focus" were two factors that have shifted his outlook on this significant day. Harry revealed to the BBC: "I was anxious about 30, I'm excited about 40. 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. Being a dad is one of life's greatest joys and has only made me more driven and more committed to making this world a better place. Bring on the next decade."

It's expected that Harry will celebrate his 40th birthday surrounded by family and friends before taking some time off with a group of close buddies, as per reports.

Other Royal family accounts, such as those of Prince William and Princess Kate, have not yet posted similar messages, although these could appear later in the day. Harry has been caught up in a feud with his father and brother since he and wife Meghan Markle dramatically stepped down as working royals in 2020.

The feud was exacerbated by Harry's public criticism of his family in his explosive Netflix series in 2022 and his controversial memoir, Spare, which was published last year. He remains distant from his brother William, a fact underscored by reports that the brothers did not converse when they attended a family funeral last month.

Earlier reports suggested they had not spoken in over two years since the late Queen passed away.