Royal expert analyses Prince William’s birthday message to Prince Harry

A royal expert has weighed in on Prince William’s surprisingly brief birthday message to little brother Prince Harry as he turned 37 this week.

Prince William and Kate Middleton sent a “curt” birthday message to Prince Harry as he turned 37 this week, which proved the “ice hasn’t thawed”, claims a royal expert.

The Twitter tribute featured the Duke of Sussex standing alone with the simple message “Happy Birthday Prince Harry!”

Judging by the brief post, royal author Duncan Larcombe says the brothers still have some way to go before their rift is mended.

The message was posted from the official Twitter account of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Picture: Twitter

Larcombe told The Sun: “William and Kate’s curt birthday message to Harry only serves as proof the ice between the brothers has still not thawed.

“Short of ignoring the Duke of Sussex’s 37th landmark completely, their social media post was the bare minimum from a couple who once welcomed Harry as their official royal gooseberry.

“If anything, this year’s birthday wishes from the Cambridges are an indication of just how far relations between the two warring clans have deteriorated over the past 12 months.”

Tensions are far from over between the once-close relatives, says Larcombe. Picture: AFP

Despite ongoing tensions between Harry and the royal family, all three of the Firm’s main accounts shared their best wishes with the Duke online.

Commenting further on the birthday shout-outs, Larcombe compared William and Kate’s post to Harry this year, to their “happier” message last year in 2020.

This photo of the ‘Fab Three’ which Kate and William used for Harry’s birthday message last year was praised by royal watchers.

He said: “On the same day in 2020, William and Kate posted a longer message complete with birthday cake emoji and a red balloon, above a picture throwing back to happier times.

“The image they chose showed the Fab Three – as they were then – racing each other on the track during a joint visit to a mental health charity. It showed them all in mid-sprint sporting huge smiles on their faces.

“And a year earlier the contrast with today’s post by William is even more telling.”

The brothers reunited in July for the unveiling of Princess Diana’s commemorative statue, where things looked strained between them. Picture: AFP.

In 2019 the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were praised for their ‘classy’ Instagram post marking Harry’s 35th birthday.

Larcombe said: “That year, William chose a moving picture of the day he repaid the complement by performing the role of Best Man and his brother’s wedding.

“The image was seen as a symbol of enduring, unbreakable, brotherly love – and we now know it was aimed at quashing claims at the time the pair had fallen out.

“Now the cat is long out of the bag, there is no repeated attempt to hide the fact relations between them remain frosty to say the least.

“Of course they haven’t seen a lot of each other since Harry turned 36, in part because of Covid and also because they now live on opposite sides of the Atlantic.”

Prince Harry walks with his best man, Prince William, on the day of his wedding to Meghan Markle on May 19, 2018. Picture: Getty Images

“However, it is surprising the future king didn’t simply post pictures of the two brothers together as they marked what would have been their mother’s 60th birthday earlier in the summer.

“That would have sent a message of unity and the shared common bond between siblings who were once as thick as thieves.”

None of the birthday tributes to Harry in the last four years have featured his wife, Meghan Markle, 40.

Harry hasn’t been able to see his loved ones much since stepping down from royal life last year, with Covid travel restrictions creating huge obstacles.

He has, however, been back to the UK twice this year and could soon return again so the Queen can meet her great-granddaughter and namesake Lilibet.

The Queen is yet to meet Prince Harry and Meghan’s second child, who they named in her honour. Picture: Getty Images

Harry’s second child was welcomed back in June.

It’s likely the dad-of-two marked his birthday with the help of wife Meghan and their children.

It’s believed the Duke of Sussex is marking the occasion in the US – although his celebrations have been kept under wraps.

Concluding on William’s post to Harry this year, Larcombe said: “Of course they may well have sent a far more sincere message to Harry in private, but clearly William is not yet ready to make any public attempts to extend his brother an olive branch.

“It’s not a huge surprise given the threat of Harry’s tell-all memoir is still hanging over the family he left behind like a sword of Damocles.

“Sadly it appears the rift has a long way to go before it starts to heal.”

This article originally appeared on The Sun and is reproduced here with permission