ANGRY Meghan Markle fans have slammed the royal family for leaving the duchess out of Prince Harry’s birthday messages.
The Duke of Sussex turns 36 today, and the Queen, Prince Charles, Prince William and Kate Middleton have posted well-wishes on Instagram in celebration – with Meghan left out of all three posts.
The Duke of Sussex will ring in the big day in Los Angeles with Meghan, 39, and baby Archie, one, after a whirlwind 12 months that has seen his life transformed.
The Cambridges shared a sweet photo of Harry racing William and Kate at a Heads Together relay at London’s Olympic Park with the message: “Wishing a very happy birthday to Prince Harry today”.
The photo was taken in 2017, before Prince Harry and Meghan tied the knot in May 2018, and some fans were quick to jump on the photo selection.
One of the most-liked comments on the post was a fan writing: “The shade of them using this pic rather than one including his wife.”
Another added: “Interesting photo selection. No Meghan.”
However, one person wrote: “Ahh a nice reminder of happier times before it all fell apart.”
The Royal Family tweeted this morning, writing: “Wishing The Duke of Sussex a very happy birthday!”
It was accompanied by a picture of the Queen and Prince Harry taken during a Queen’s Young Leaders reception at Buckingham Palace in 2017.
Harry’s dad Prince Charles and Camilla then joined in the well-wishes, posting a solo shot of Harry and one of him and Charles together, writing: “Wishing a very happy birthday to the Duke of Sussex today.”
Another Meghan fan wrote: “Goshhh three shots without Meghan.”
The birthday messages come as Prince Harry has thrown himself into his new life outside of the Royal Family after he moved to the US with wife Meghan.
The couple recently signed a deal with Netflix rumoured to be worth £112m, revealing they wanted to create shows that “gave hope” to audiences.
But it is feared the deal could cause another tear in the relationship between Harry and his family.
Harry and Meghan are likely to celebrate the duke’s birthday – September 15 – privately at their £11million Santa Barbara home as prevalent Covid-19 cases have forced many bars to shut and restaurants to close their indoor spaces in the coastal city.
The couple stepped down as working royals in March for financial and personal freedom and the lucrative Netflix contract has enabled them to pay back the £2.4 million of taxpayers’ money used to renovate Frogmore Cottage, their UK home in the grounds of Windsor Castle.
A source has said they are no longer receiving financial support from the Prince of Wales and viewed the £2.4 million payment as “another significant step in their new life”.
The couple previously took over funding for their own security when they quit as senior working royals.
Harry and Meghan have spent much of the lockdown supporting local charities in California or championing causes like gender politics and equality.
Netflix’s The Crown is expected to release its most explosive series yet in its upcoming series – focusing on Diana’s battle with the eating disorder in the Eighties.
And a royal expert has said Prince Harry is ‘happier than ever’ as he turns the same age Princess Diana was when she died at 36.