MEGHAN Markle celebrated her 42nd birthday earlier this week, but there was silence, at least publicly, from the Royal Family.
The lack of a birthday messages from senior royals caused some fans to think Meghan had been snubbed on her big day, but that might not actually be the case.
Meghan celebrated her 42nd birthday earlier this month
The reason for the birthday ‘snub’ might be because of Queen Elizabeth
With no social media posts from Charles, Camilla, Kate or William, Meghan celebrated her birthday at a ‘toned down’ dinner party, along with Prince Harry.
The couple were spotted looking cosy on their date night, while outside the famous Tre Lune Restaurant in Montecito, California, which is often frequented by Hollywood A-Listers.
A royal expert told Evoke, that the Royal Family may not have publicly acknowledged Meghan’s birthday because of a ‘rule’ the late Queen Elizabeth introduced.
It is reported that she believed a public birthday greeting should only be shared under special circumstances.
It is claimed Queen Elizabeth adapted the protocol around royal birthdays and social media before she passed away in 2022.
These new rules mean that non-working royals, like Harry and Meghan, won’t get a public birthday message unless their age ends in a zero.
So, we won’t really know if the Royal Family are snubbing Meghan’s birthdays until 2031 when she will turn 50.
Speaking to GB News, former royal correspondent Charles Rae said: “There’s a suggestion that [Queen Elizabeth] decided that the royal website, Twitter, and Instagram will no longer send birthday greetings out to any non-working members of the royal family unless their birthday ends in a zero.”
Princess Eugenie‘s birthday also wasn’t publicly marked this year because of the rule, and there were no official posts celebrating Princess Beatrice‘s last year either.
That said, although there was no post from Buckingham Palace for Meghan’s 41st birthday last year, William and Kate did post a birthday greeting from their official Twitter account saying: “Wishing a happy birthday to the Duchess of Sussex!”
Their Twitter message was interestingly very similar to Prince Charles, as he was at the time, and Camilla’s, which simply read: “Happy Birthday to the Duchess of Sussex!”
Not everyone is convinced the new rule is the reason for the lack of messages from the Royal Family though.
Royal author Angela Levin told previously told HOAR William and Kate are “fed up” of Meghan and shouldn’t have to send her well wishes.
She said: “They could say something that has no emotion and no love – very very basic.
“They don’t want to give Meghan an opportunity to be nasty and for the Sussexes squad to be vile because they will attack them back.
“But why should they after how Harry and Meghan have acted.”
Meghan and Harry enjoyed a toned down celebration for her birthday this year
The duo have been busy enjoying their California life together
