Buckingham Palace has put an end to rumors surrounding a photo shared by King Charles and Prince William to celebrate Prince Harry’s 40th birthday. The photo, originally taken during Harry and Meghan’s 2018 trip to Dublin, features a smiling close-up of Harry. While the Royal Family shared the image on social media, online speculation arose about Meghan Markle’s absence in the picture. Some suggested that she was deliberately cropped out, implying a continued rift between the Sussexes and the rest of the Royal Family.
However, Buckingham Palace has confirmed that the photo was not altered. They explained that both the cropped version of Harry alone and the full picture featuring Meghan were uploaded by the Press Association to Getty Images on the same day in 2018. The Palace spokesperson confirmed that the image was used in the format it was received.
The tension between Harry and Meghan and the Royal Family has been well-documented since their decision to step down from royal duties in 2020. This strain intensified following the release of Harry’s memoir, Spare, which detailed personal accounts, including an alleged physical altercation between Harry and Prince William.
Despite the ongoing tensions, some view the Royal Family’s recent sharing of Harry’s birthday image as a gesture of reconciliation. Others suggest that it simply follows the tradition established by Queen Elizabeth II, who acknowledged milestone birthdays of non-working royals on official platforms. Harry turned 40 on September 15th, and this is the first time the Royal Family has publicly acknowledged his birthday since 2021. Regardless of the interpretation, fans were pleased to see the Royal Family publicly celebrating Harry’s milestone.
