Meghan Markle Wasn’t Cropped Out of Royal Family’s 40th Birthday Tribute To Prince Harry

Buckingham Palace did not crop Meghan Markle out of Prince Harry’s 40th birthday tribute, Access Hollywood has learned. On Sunday, Sept. 15, the Duke of Sussex celebrated his milestone birthday and, in a surprise gesture, received well wishes from his brother, Prince William, sister-in-law, Kate Middleton, and father, King Charles, despite the royal family rift. King Charles and Queen Camilla’s official Instagram page named “The Royal Family” posted a photo of Harry alongside the caption, “Wishing the Duke of Sussex a very happy 40th birthday today!” The same photo was then reposted by the Prince and Princess of Wales on their official social media accounts with their own birthday message. The image was from a 2018 trip to Ireland, where Harry and Meghan visited co-working space DogPatch Labs. A look at the original shot reveals that Meghan was smiling next to Harry at the table. However, she and the couple’s companions aren’t visible in the royal family’s birthday tribute for the Duke, as the posted image focused only on Harry. But the palace has since clarified that the image was shared in its original form without anyone cropped out. Photo agencies do have two versions of the image available – one with Meghan and another that features Harry by himself. The posts by Prince William and King Charles are reportedly the first time the royal family has publicly acknowledged Harry’s birthday since 2021 – the year he officially broke away from the monarchy.