Meghan Markle celebrated her 45th birthday on August 4 but did not receive any public birthday wishes from the royal family, as she is no longer a working royal. However, the royal household is understood to follow a protocol for social media posts, and family members may have reached out to her privately.
Royal experts say palace protocol may explain why Meghan Markle received no public 45th birthday message
Royal commentator Tom Sykes told Page Six that Meghan Markle received no public birthday wishes from the royal family because they prefer to celebrate private citizens in private. He explained that they would not post a birthday message on social media, as that is standard royal protocol.
Another royal expert, Kinsey Schofield, said official royal birthday messages are reserved for working royals and not those no longer representing the Crown. She added that since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back from royal duties, they are no longer publicly acknowledged on such occasions.
Both experts, however, believe there is a good chance some members of the royal family may have wished Meghan Markle a happy birthday privately. According to Sykes, that could include the monarch, King Charles, whom he described as a “scrupulously polite man.”
However, he suggested Prince William and Kate Middleton are far less likely to reach out with birthday wishes, noting that Markle and Prince William do not share a close relationship.
Contrastingly, Schofield believes the monarch may have sent Markle a card or gift through palace staffers before, citing how he has treated her over the years. “Charles has always had a compassionate streak, and despite everything that’s happened, he has rarely gone out of his way to be overtly unkind toward Meghan. A discreet gesture would be entirely in keeping with his character,” she added.
She provided a stance on why the Waleses might still hold a grudge against Markle and what might hold them back from exchanging wishes. “They believe Meghan played a significant role in the breakdown of family trust, and I think any suggestion that they’re secretly exchanging birthday wishes belongs more in the realm of wishful thinking than reality,” she explained.
