William And Kate's Post On Meghan's Birthday Speaks Volumes (Spoiler: There's No Tribute)

Keeping things decidedly low-key, Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, celebrated her 42nd birthday a bit early by going to see "Barbie" with some friends in Santa Monica before heading to the San Ysidro Ranch hotel to keep the party going, according to Page Six. While the outlet reports that Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, wasn't around for the girls-only festivities, it's presumed that he was with his wife on her actual birthday on August 4. Regardless, what we do know for certain is that the Duchess of Sussex did not receive any sort of public birthday wishes from her brother- and sister-in-law, Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Prince and Princess of Wales.

To make matters more suspect, William and Kate's social media accounts were active on Meghan's special day, with a couple of posts being sent out. "Congratulations to the RHINO MAN team! Such an important story being told, great to see it being recognized," one tweet read. The duo's team also retweeted a post that was shared by a company called Homewards U.K., but didn't make mention of Meghan's birthday on any platform. William and Kate did share a tribute to Meghan on her birthday in 2022, writing "Wishing a happy birthday to the Duchess of Sussex!" However, their lack of acknowledgment in 2023 suggests something many fans have suspected for a while: an ongoing royal rift. 

In Prince Harry's 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, he explained that his relationship with his older brother was strained. According to People magazine, the Duke of Sussex described their relationship as "space at the moment," and while he admitted that the two had "been through hell together," they simply weren't seeing eye to eye on some very important issues such as Harry and Meghan's decision to step down as senior working members of the royal family. Royal watchers have been keeping a keen eye on Harry and William's relationship over the past few years, and many have been paying close attention to how the two men interact whenever they are together, which has been fairly infrequent since he moved to the United States with Meghan Markle. The brothers' most recent reunion was at the coronation of their father, King Charles III, in May.

"William is still upset about Harry's book. He feels it was a betrayal and he has no interest in communicating with Harry before the coronation about their disagreements," a source told Entertainment Tonight leading up to the event. "The relationship is still fractured, and it is unclear when they will be able to mend fences," the source added. Now, Prince William and Kate Middleton's decision not to wish Meghan a happy birthday in 2023 strongly suggests that the family's rift is still going strong — and that it could be even deeper.