Prince William and King Charles Send Prince Harry a Direct Message Amid Family Feud

On Sunday, Sept. 15, Prince Harry turned 40—and he received some unexpected birthday tributes from his father, King Charles , 75, and brother, Prince William , 42, amid an ongoing royal family rift .

The official royal family social media accounts, run by King Charles III's office at Buckingham Palace, celebrated Prince Harry's special day with a short but sweet message.

"🎂 Wishing The Duke of Sussex a very happy 40th birthday today!" read the update , which featured a photo of Prince Harry smiling while wearing a suit jacket.

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Additionally, Prince William and Kate Middleton's social media accounts posted a birthday shoutout, writing via X , "Wishing a Happy 40th Birthday to the Duke of Sussex."

The birthday tributes on Sunday marked the first time King Charles and Prince William both publicly acknowledged Prince Harry's big day since 2021.

The well wishes also came amid a persisting rift between Prince Harry and the rest of the royal family.

In January 2020, the younger brother stepped down from his role as a senior member of the royal family. A couple of months later, Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle , relocated with their son, Archie , to California, where they welcomed their daughter, Lilibet , in 2021.

But even before that official split, reports of tension between Prince William and Prince Harry —including reported clashes between their wives, Middleton and Markle—were rampant.

In July, Harry reflected on how his determination in fighting the U.K. tabloids played a part in the royal family rift.

Harry and Markle's sit-down with Oprah in March 2021 and Harry's 2023 memoir Spare didn't help the fractured relationships, either.

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