No Royal Family Meghan Markle Birthday Shoutout Might’ve Been ‘Protocol,’ but a Commentator Says It ‘Lays Bare the Bitter Rift’

Meghan Markle's recent birthday did not receive any public acknowledgment from the royal family, which has prompted a commentator to suggest that this decision highlights the ongoing rift between the Duchess of Sussex and the rest of the royal family.

On August 4th, Meghan turned 42, but there were no celebratory messages posted on social media by King Charles III, Queen Camilla, Prince William, or Kate Middleton.

While this lack of recognition may align with the royal family's protocol, it also underscores the wider divisions within the family.

Traditionally, members of the royal family celebrate their birthdays privately, with the exception of the sovereign's annual Trooping the Colour parade.

Since stepping back as senior working royals in 2020, Meghan and Prince Harry have continued to mark their birthdays privately.

However, this year, details about their celebrations emerged.

The couple was spotted at a local Italian restaurant, Tre Lune, near their home in Montecito, California, presumably enjoying an early birthday dinner.

This outing marked their first public appearance since photos surfaced of Harry and Meghan celebrating the Fourth of July with their children, Prince Archie, aged 4, and Princess Lilibet, aged 2, a month earlier.

The absence of any royal family birthday shoutout for Meghan can be attributed to protocol.

According to a Newsweek report, the royal family implemented a new protocol in 2022, during the late Queen Elizabeth II's reign, which restricts public birthday acknowledgments to working royals only.

Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams suggests that the lack of recognition for Meghan's birthday reflects the current state of her and Harry's relationship with the rest of the royal family.

He believes that the negative impact of Harry's memoir, “Spare,” and his interviews promoting it, along with the couple's previous interviews, especially the one with Oprah, have significantly damaged the royal family.

Unable to counter every accusation made by the Sussexes, the royal family has chosen to distance themselves from the couple.

The decision not to acknowledge Meghan's birthday follows a similar snub for their daughter Lili's birthday in June 2023.

Angela Levin, another royal commentator, claims that Prince William currently wants nothing to do with Prince Harry and did not want to associate himself with Meghan on her birthday.

She also suggests that the Princess of Wales is growing tired of Meghan.

While the Prince and Princess of Wales could have sent a basic birthday message, they chose to avoid any potential backlash from the Sussexes.

It remains to be seen whether the royal family will wish Harry a happy birthday when he turns 39 on September 15th, 2023.

The ongoing tensions within the family may influence their decision.