Meghan Markle has recently made headlines once again by publicly accusing the British Royal Family (RF) of attempting to drive a wedge between her and Prince Harry. This accusation arose after the Royal Family publicly wished Harry a happy birthday while failing to extend the same gesture to Meghan on her birthday just weeks prior. Meghan, who has often expressed her frustrations with the through her statements and interviews, suggested that the Royal Family’s selective recognition of birthdays was part of a larger effort to alienate her from Harry.
Meghan Markle celebrated her birthday on August 4, a day that passed without any public acknowledgment from the Royal Family’s official social media accounts. This omission sparked outrage among her supporters, who viewed it as a deliberate snub. However, some royal observers pointed out that Meghan and Harry had stepped back from their roles as working royals in 2020, and the Royal Family had previously stated that public birthday tributes on their social media channels were reserved for working members of the Royal Family.
Nonetheless, the lack of acknowledgment felt particularly pointed to Meghan’s fans, given that Meghan is still married to Prince Harry, and their children, Archie and Lilibet, are still part of the royal lineage. Many was upset at the contrast in how Meghan was treated compared to other royal family members, even if they are technically no longer working royals.
The situation intensified when the Royal Family publicly extended birthday wishes to Prince Harry on September 15 via social media. The post, which included pictures of Harry during his time as a working royal, was seen by many as a direct contrast to the silence surrounding Meghan’s birthday. Meghan has reportedly taken this as a sign that the Royal Family is attempting to separate her from Harry and manipulate public perception by treating the two differently.
In the days following Harry’s birthday, royal sources were quick to emphasize that the birthday posts were consistent with the policy of only during birthdays of working royals. Harry, though not a working royal anymore, was still given a birthday tribute, with the Royal Family’s social media team utilizing images from his time as a full-time royal. This practice, they claimed, was in line with past decisions regarding Harry’s public life and legacy within the monarchy.
The Royal Family has largely remained silent on the matter, as they tend to do with most controversies involving Meghan and Harry. Since the couple’s decision to step down from their senior royal roles, Buckingham Palace has emphasized that public gestures, such as birthday acknowledgments, would focus on working royals.
In 2021, after Meghan and Harry’s explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey, the Royal Family released a carefully worded statement, acknowledging the couple’s issues but maintaining a policy of privacy on many of the matters discussed. This policy of discretion seems to continue, as there has been no official response to Meghan’s latest accusation.
Supporters of the Royal Family argue that Meghan’s expectations are unrealistic, given her and Harry’s decision to pursue a more private life away from royal duties. They also point out that Meghan and Harry’s departure from the monarchy has meant that certain privileges, including public recognition on official channels, may no longer apply to them.
From Meghan’s perspective, however, the birthday snub is part of a broader issue of exclusion and marginalization. In several interviews and public statements since their departure from royal life, both Meghan and Harry have voiced their belief that they were treated unfairly by the institution, and this latest incident seems to reinforce those feelings for Meghan.
The lack of a birthday tribute for Meghan, combined with the public post for Harry, has fueled Meghan’s belief that there are deliberate attempts within the Royal Family to create division in her marriage and family life. Meghan has often spoken about the challenges of balancing her personal life with the demands and scrutiny of royal life, and this incident adds another layer of complexity to the already strained relationship between the Sussexes and the Royal Family.
Public reactions to Meghan’s accusation have been mixed. Supporters of the Duchess of Sussex view the Royal Family’s selective birthday tributes as proof of their ongoing mistreatment of Meghan, while critics argue that Meghan’s complaints are unwarranted and a product of her own misunderstanding of royal protocol. Social media has been flooded with debates about whether Meghan is justified in her feelings or whether the Royal Family’s approach is consistent and fair.
While Meghan and Harry have charted their own path in the United States, they remain in the global spotlight, and any perceived slight from the Royal Family continues to generate headlines. This birthday snub is the latest in a series of events that highlight the ongoing tension between the couple and the British monarchy.
Meghan’s accusation that the British Royal Family is attempting to divide her family by selectively acknowledging birthdays has reignited discussions about her and Prince Harry’s strained relationship with the institution. While the Royal Family has not responded publicly to the allegations, the incident adds to the growing list of grievances that Meghan has voiced since stepping back from royal duties. The Royal Family’s policy of recognizing only working royals in public birthday tributes has drawn both support and criticism, leaving the public divided over who is in the right.