From strolling with his dog on the sun-kissed beaches of California to mingling with Hollywood's elite at intimate gatherings, Prince Harry's life has drastically changed compared to a decade ago .
As he was gearing up to celebrate his 30th birthday, he had just concluded his military service, launched the highly successful Invictus Games with its inaugural event in London, and was deeply embedded in the Royal sphere as a working member of the Firm.
Fast forward ten years to the present day, the Duke of Sussex is celebrating his 40th birthday under vastly different circumstances. He has left Royal life behind and embarked on a new journey in the United States with his wife Meghan Markle and their two children, five year old Prince Archie and three year old Princess Lilibet.
However, it's not all sunshine and roses - his relationships with his father King Charles and brother Prince William are reportedly strained due to a significant Royal rift. This tension has been exacerbated by Harry's outspoken criticism of his family in his explosive Netflix series and controversial memoir.
Nonetheless, some might interpret their decision to publicly wish him a happy birthday as an attempt at reconciliation. However, with these significant changes in his life, both positive and more tumultuous, over the past decade, many might wonder if Harry is content at 40. According to Royal expert and historian Dr Tessa Dunlop, this is the "million-dollar question".
She revealed to The Mirror : "He is certainly rich (more money has just poured into his coffers from the late Queen Mother), and with the Sussexes' unique blend of Californian-royalty, he is stratospherically famous."
"But 'happy' is much harder to quantify. Certainly at 40 Harry's world is miles away from his royal bubble of ten years ago. Then, he was the product of two very British institutions the army and the monarchy. Nowadays, dog walks on Californian sand and casual dinners in a local Italian with a new set of Montecito friends, have replaced the predictable royal churn of Balmoral, Sandringham, King and Country."
"But, if you look for it, there is continuity. Ten years ago, Harry celebrated his 30th birthday with the launch of the Invictus Games. He had found his calling: later writing: 'I was caught off guard by this wave of appreciation and gratitude. And joy.'"
"Service, then and now, makes Harry happy. The big difference is ten years ago Harry had his Dad by his side. 'Well done, darling boy' was Charles's response to Harry's first Invictus performance. Nowadays, the Prince is a seasoned performer, but I suspect he'd be far happier if his father was still cheering him from the sidelines. A landmark birthday is always a good place to start. Fingers crossed the King found the time to reach out to his son, yesterday of all days."
In contrast, Royal biographer Ingrid Seward thinks that Harry could not have predicted his current life. She elaborated: "Harry would never have envisaged himself living in California 10 years ago. He was still dedicated to the military although his active career was ending. He founded the Invictus Games and the first tournament took place to huge fanfare in London in September 2014 around the time of his 30th birthday."
"King Charles would have celebrated his son's 40th from a distance. Milestone birthdays are important to the royals. Whatever upsets Harry has caused will be forgotten for the day. Prince William wished his brother Happy Birthday even if it was through clenched teeth. He doesn't trust him, but together with his family he wished him the best on his milestone birthday."
As Harry gears up for his 40th birthday, he shared with the BBC that he's "excited" about the milestone, saying "I was anxious about 30, I'm excited about 40. Whatever the age, my mission is to continue showing up and doing good in the world."
He also reflected on fatherhood: "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."
It's rumored that Harry spent his special day intimately with his children and wife Meghan, with plans to vacation with friends afterwards a marked change from the lavish celebration a decade ago for his 30th. Reflecting the shift in celebrations, Ingrid noted: "Harry celebrated his 30th with his mates at a grand dinner in Clarence House. His 40th will be in the sunshine of Montecino with a wife and two kids. He says he is happier now. We hope he is."
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