Royals mum as Meghan Markle celebrates 42nd birthday in private

Members of the British Royal Family normally send their birthday greetings to one of their own on their respective social media pages. But Meghan Markle did not receive any when she celebrated her 42nd birthday on Friday, Aug. 4.

The Duchess of Sussex received birthday wishes from friends and fans on social media, but Prince Harry's family noticeably opted to remain quiet. On this same day last year, Prince William and Kate Middleton publicly greeted the duchess on her 41st birthday.

"Wishing a happy birthday to The Duchess of Sussex!" the Prince and Princess of Wales wrote alongside a photo of a smiling Meghan Markle. Meanwhile, King Charles III and Queen Camilla shared a similar picture and wrote, "Happy birthday to the Duchess of Sussex!" along with a balloon emoji.

The royals shared similar photos which were both taken during the duchess' appearance at the Platinum Jubilee Thanksgiving Service in June 2022. It was the only public appearance she and Prince Harry made during the entirety of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations of Queen Elizabeth II.

Aside from Meghan Markle, the royal family also did not publicly greet her and Prince Harry's children on their birthdays this year. Princess Lilibet Diana celebrated her 2nd birthday on June 4 and Prince Archie on May 6, whose birthday also fell on King Charles III's coronation. The Duke of Sussex attended his father's coronation alone but flew back home to California right after the ceremony so he could celebrate his son's milestone.

It is unclear how Meghan Markle celebrated her 42nd birthday. It is likely the same as last year when she had an intimate and private party with close friends and family at home in Montecito. Page Six added that she also went to watch the "Barbie" movie with a few friends, sans Prince Harry.

The night prior, on Aug. 3, she and her husband were spotted having dinner at the Italian restaurant Tre Lune in Montecito, California. They were accompanied by their good friend, Matt Cohen, the husband of the Duchess of Sussex's longtime friend Heather Dorak. The trio appeared in a jolly mood as they were seen smiling and laughing on their way to their parked car. An insider likewise said that they "enjoyed their food and had a nice time."

As for her 40th birthday, the former "Suits" actress launched her 40x40 initiative, in which she urged 40 of her friends to give 40 minutes of their time to motivate or encourage women hoping to get back into the workforce amid the COVID-19 pandemic. She released a video with comedian Melissa McCarthy which saw Prince Harry doing a cameo by juggling balls by the window outside. Among those who participated in promoting the campaign was Prince Harry's cousin, Princess Eugenie.

Prince William may not have publicly greeted Meghan Markle on her 42nd birthday. But Aug. 4 is already a significant day in royal history. It was a significant day for the future king who was christened on Aug. 4, 1982, by the Archbishop of Canterbury in the Music Room at Buckingham Palace, at only six weeks old.

Moreover, Aug. 4 was also the Queen Mother's birthday. In his memoir, Prince Harry shared King Charles III's reaction upon learning that the duchess shared his grandmother's birthday.

"The bond between Meg and Pa, always strong, grew even stronger during that weekend. One night, over pre-dinner cocktails, Fred Astaire playing in the background, it emerged that Meg shared a birthdate with Pa's favorite person: Gan-Gan," he wrote in "Spare."

Prince Harry shared that King Charles III smiled and called it "amazing" that Meghan Markle shares the same as the Queen Mother. He added, "At the memory of Gan-Gan, and the link between her and my bride, he suddenly became buoyant, telling stories I'd never heard, essentially performing, showing off for her."