King Charles’s relationship with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle has remained strained ever since the couple stepped down as senior royals in 2020 and relocated to California.
Public tell-all interviews and Harry’s candid memoir have only widened the divide. Yet, according to former royal butler Grant Harrold, the King may still acknowledge Markle’s 44th birthday on August 4 with a polite gesture.
Speaking to the Royal Insider, Harrold said, “As far as the royal family congratulating or wishing a happy birthday, I believe the King and Queen will wish her a happy birthday.” He added, “The thing with the royal family is that when it comes to politeness and manners, they are the top of the game. So, I still think they will still honor it.”
While Harrold believes Prince William is unlikely to reach out personally, he suggested Kate Middleton may extend birthday wishes as a courteous gesture on behalf of them both.
Sussexes Expected to Mark the Occasion
The former royal butler also predicted that the Sussexes would use social media to mark the day and encourage warm wishes from supporters. “I’m sure we’ll see Harry do something on social media. They’ll try to make people aware it’s her birthday…Everyone deserves birthday wishes,” he explained.
He added that Harry might continue the royal tradition of giving quirky presents. “The royal family is famous for quirky, fun presents, so who knows. Maybe he might get her a piece of land on the moon. Or he might get her a title as a bit of a joke; you can get these Highland titles.”
A Past Bond Between Charles and Meghan
While current relations may be cool, Harry has previously described in his memoir Spare that Charles once shared a close bond with Meghan. He recounted that during a 2018 visit to the Castle of Mey, Charles revealed she shared a birthday with one of his favourite people—the Queen Mother. “The bond between Meg and Pa, always strong, grew even stronger during that weekend,” Harry wrote, recalling an evening of pre-dinner cocktails with Fred Astaire playing in the background.
Harrold’s comments come amid reports of potential ‘peace talks.’ It is said that Harry has agreed to share his public schedule with the royal household to prevent his appearances from clashing with or overshadowing major royal events. This move could pave the way for a face-to-face meeting between father and son—possibly opening the door to healing their long-standing rift.