Why Fans Are Calling Out Prince Harry's Birthday Tribute From Prince William and Kate Middleton

On Prince Harry's 36th birthday, some fans are not happy that Prince William and Kate Middleton's birthday tribute does not include Meghan Markle. The brothers have reportedly drifted apart.

By Samantha Schnurr Sep 15, 2020 2:44 PMTags
Watch: Meghan Markle & Prince Harry: Biggest Bombshells in Book

Happy Birthday, Prince Harry! However, for some fans, it's not so happy. 

Tuesday, Sept. 15 marked a special day in England and across the pond in Harry's new California home as the Duke of Sussex turned 36 years old. Archie Harrison's famous dad was showered with love and well wishes online in honor of his birthday, including from his relatives, brother Prince William and sister-in-law Kate Middleton. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's Twitter account read, "Wishing a very happy birthday to Prince Harry today!"

Harry's dad Prince Charles and stepmom Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall echoed the sentiment over on their Twitter account. "Wishing a very happy birthday to The Duke of Sussex today!" a tweet read. 

And, of course, Queen Elizabeth II—also known as Harry's Granny—did not forget the special occasion. "Wishing The Duke of Sussex a very happy birthday!" the Queen's Twitter account read. 

However, some fans were not satisfied with the birthday tributes from the royal family as they questioned why Meghan Markle was not included in any of the photos used in their birthday posts. For William and Kate's, the post used a photo of the siblings and Duchess of Cambridge competing in a race. 

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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's History-Making Moments

"How rude," one critic commented back. "Why not have a photo of him when he's happy with his lovely wife. Really selfish of will and Kate."

"Interesting photo selection!" another fan pointed out in a comment. "No Meghan..."

Prince Charles' tribute included a photo of the father and son laughing along with a solo shot of Harry. "Where is meghan ?" another fan asked in a comment. "So rude even if they left." Meanwhile, some harshly praised the posts for not including Markle. 

However, the criticism seems unwarranted given the fact that for the Duchess of Sussex's birthday in August, none of the royals' tributes used photos of her with Harry. Still, fans tend to pay close attention to public signs of the brothers' relationship as they've been the subject of rift rumors

In Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand's bombshell book Finding Freedom, the authors took a closer look at why the once close siblings drifted apart.

"It's obviously a tragic story because, of course, they once were so close," Scobie told E! News in August. "There's certainly a distance between the brothers. And William, you know, wears two hats. He's an older brother but he's also a future king...And sometimes that dedication to his duty to the monarchy has gotten in the way with his relationship with his brother."

Regardless, it's a significant birthday for the younger brother, considering it's his first one spent as a California resident and first-time homeowner. A rep for the couple told E! News in August that the family of three moved into a new home in July of this year.

Professionally, Harry has plenty of work ahead after he and his wife signed a multi-year deal with Netflix

E! News previously learned the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be producing films and series for the streaming service. "Our focus will be on creating content that informs but also gives hope," the couple said in a statement to the New York Times on Sept. 2. "As new parents, making inspirational family programming is also important to us."

They added that Netflix's "unprecedented reach will help us share impactful content that unlocks action." 

To boot, the couple has donated $130,000 to CAMFED, an organization focused on girl's education in Africa, in addition to the $129,000 raised in honor of Meghan and Harry's birthdays this year. 

"No better way to celebrate what really matters," they said in a statement. "Thank you to everyone who donated, Harry and Meghan."

Needless to say, the prince and proud dad has plenty to celebrate this birthday as he blows out his candles.