Lady Victoria Hervey has suggested that the recent public birthday wishes sent by King Charles and Prince William to Prince Harry may represent a significant gesture of reconciliation. Speaking on GB News, the socialite commented on the royal family’s decision to publicly acknowledge Harry’s 40th birthday, marking the first such gesture in three years.
Hervey described the birthday messages as “short and sweet,” noting that the act of sharing these well-wishes broke with typical royal protocol. “It’s breaking protocol and it was a good thing it was done. It’s possibly an olive branch,” she said, implying that the messages could signal a subtle step toward mending the fractured relationship between Harry and the royal family.
King Charles’s message, posted on the official Royal Family social media account, read: “Wishing The Duke of Sussex a very happy 40th birthday today!” Prince William and Princess Kate followed suit, reposting the message on their own account, which was accompanied by a photo of Harry from a 2018 trip to Ireland. Notably, the photo had been cropped to exclude Meghan Markle, who was originally present in the image.
The birthday wishes were particularly significant, as they marked the first public acknowledgment of Harry’s birthday since his and Meghan’s departure from royal duties in 2020. Royal commentators believe that this public gesture was essential for maintaining decorum, with Hervey adding, “If they hadn’t done it, they would have been criticised.”
The birthday messages align with royal traditions established under Queen Elizabeth II, where milestone birthdays for non-working royals are publicly acknowledged, particularly those ending in a “zero.” This explains why Harry’s 40th was celebrated, while previous birthdays went unnoticed by the royal family’s official channels.
While the public messages have sparked hope for some level of reconciliation, insiders suggest that private healing between Harry and the royal family may be more difficult to achieve. According to sources, King Charles remains open to repairing relations but is seeking assurance that no further public criticism will come from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
The relationship between Prince William and Prince Harry, however, is said to be far more strained. Reports indicate that the brothers have not spoken for two years, and the possibility of a meaningful reconciliation remains uncertain. Royal expert Ingrid Seward shared with The Mirror that Prince William’s birthday wishes to Harry may have been sent “through clenched teeth,” reflecting the complexity of their bond.
Despite the ongoing tension, Lady Victoria Hervey’s comments suggest that these public gestures from the royal family, however brief, represent a positive step toward thawing relations. “The words were light and short and sweet. I think that was a good thing,” Hervey said, underscoring the significance of even small efforts in the path to healing.
As speculation about reconciliation continues, the royal family’s birthday messages, while rooted in tradition, offer a glimmer of hope that communication channels between Prince Harry and his family might slowly reopen. However, sources caution that any meaningful progress will require time, trust, and private discussions beyond the public gestures seen so far.
