Prince Harry ‘offered olive branch’ with ‘short and sweet’ Royal Family gesture

"The message on Instagram was short and sweet, wasn't it?" Hervey remarked.

She added: "It's breaking protocol and it was a good thing it was done. It's possibly an olive branch."

Hervey noted that the royals would have faced criticism had they not acknowledged the milestone, saying: "If they hadn't done it, they would have been criticised."

The royal birthday messages marked the first public acknowledgement of Harry's birthday in three years.

King Charles shared a post on the official Royal Family's social media account, stating: "Wishing The Duke of Sussex a very happy 40th birthday today!"

Prince William and Kate followed suit, reposting the message on their own account.

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The messages were accompanied by a smiling photo of Harry taken during a 2018 trip to Ireland.

Notably, the image had been cropped to exclude Meghan, who was originally present in the photograph.

Royal sources stressed that these public wishes were in line with "tradition" for significant birthdays of non-working royals.

The birthday messages align with a convention established under the late Queen Elizabeth II.

Daily Express Royal Correspondent Richard Palmer explained in 2022 that the Queen's website would "only mark the birthdays of non-working members of the family when they end in a zero."

This rule explains why Harry's 40th was acknowledged, while previous birthdays were not.

Ingrid Seward, a royal expert, told The Mirror: "King Charles would have celebrated his son's 40th from a distance. Milestone birthdays are important to the royals."

She added that even Prince William's wishes may have been "through clenched teeth", given the brothers' strained relationship.

Lady Victoria Hervey emphasised the significance of the royal messages, stating: "The words were light and short and sweet. I think that was a good thing."

Her comments suggest a potential thawing in relations between Harry and the Royal Family.

However, sources indicate that private reconciliation may be more complex.

The Daily Mail reported that while King Charles remains open to mending ties, he seeks assurance against further public criticism from the Sussexes.

Prince William's relationship with Harry is described as "far more complex", with the brothers reportedly not having spoken for two years.