Harry And Meghan Deny Rumors They Blew Off King Charles' Birthday Celebration
By now, it feels as though the feud between the British royal family and its black sheep Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, has been going on as long as the Wars of the Roses. The prince's need to speak his truth was utterly at odds with the palace's "never complain, never explain" motto. As a result, feelings were hurt, apologies were demanded but never given, and the divide between Harry and his closest kin seems ten times wider than the distance between London and Montecito.
In the latest chapter of the royal saga, insiders claimed that Prince Harry was snubbing the milestone birthday of his dad, King Charles III. The newly crowned monarch will turn 75 on November 14 and is reportedly planning a quiet family celebration at his residence in Clarence House. But his younger son and daughter-in-law, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, will be no-shows. The Sunday Times claimed that the Sussexes got an invite to the party, but that the Duke of Sussex would not be traveling from California for it. The news roused the anti-Harry faction, always eager for any new proof of the prince's disrespect for his father.
But wait — all may not be as it seems. Word came down on November 6 from the Sussexes' spokesperson that tells a very different story. "In response to UK media headlines, there has been no contact regarding an invitation to His Majesty's upcoming birthday," the spokesperson told The Messenger. "It is disappointing the Sunday Times has misrepresented this story."
Harry and Charles may not be as estranged as some think
Another source has confirmed to the Daily Mail that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle did not, in fact, blow off an invite to King Charles' 75th birthday — namely, because they didn't get one in the first place. "They had not received any invitation and were unaware of any celebrations until the stories came out," said the insider.
The source explained this was unusual since the Sussexes do make the invite list for "significant events" such as King Charles' coronation in May 2023. (Harry made the trip solo, though he hurried back across the pond immediately afterward to celebrate his son Archie's birthday.) "The story in The Times as well as subsequent stories have been positioned in a way to make it look like the Duke is snubbing his father, which he is not," they said.
No doubt there are still lingering hurts surrounding Harry's departure from royal life and the claims he's made about life in the palace. But that doesn't mean the king is totally estranged from his younger son. Non-royal parents across the generations have forgiven their children for far worse transgressions. The Sussexes' source also told the Mail the omission of a birthday party invite is not as big a deal as some gossipers would like it to be. "I'm sure the Duke will find a way to reach out privately to wish His Majesty a happy birthday like he [has] always done," they said.