When it was announced that Charles and his wife Camilla publicly wished Prince Harry a happy birthday, some took it as an “olive branch,” meaning a gesture of reconciliation. However, a closer look at the photo accompanying the birthday message led royal family experts to a different conclusion. They saw a subtly veiled hint in the image.
On the day Harry celebrated his milestone 40th birthday, Charles and Camilla’s social media page posted the following message: “Wishing the Duke of Sussex the happiest of birthdays!”
The message was attributed to the royal family. At first glance, these words seemed to indicate a thaw in relations between Charles and his younger son, as it was the first time in two years that the monarch and his wife publicly acknowledged Harry’s personal celebration. It is well-known that Harry’s relationships with his family soured after he stepped down from royal duties. His subsequent actions—his infamous interview with Oprah Winfrey and particularly the release of his contentious memoirs, which criticized all his family members, including Charles—seemed to make reconciliation impossible. However, the birthday greeting could have been seen as a proposal to leave past grievances behind. This might have appeared to be the case, were it not for the photo.
At first glance, the photo seemed unremarkable. It depicted a happy, smiling Harry in a light gray suit and a white shirt without a tie. However, attentive users quickly recognized the photo and noticed something was amiss. It turned out that Meghan Markle had been edited out of the image! The original version of the photo, taken back in 2018, featured his wife beside him. The fact that Meghan was removed from the image at the king’s behest was perceived by fans as a transparent hint. They are willing to welcome Harry back, but only if he gets rid of Meghan. They do not want to see her by his side. Many believe that she is the one who “spoiled” Harry, leading to his estrangement from his family and his departure from his homeland.
