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Janet Street Porter offered up her own experience of unexpectedly coming on her period, when the panel erupt into anarchy and hysterics as the panellists bantered back and forth

Loose Women ramped up the savagery today as banter on the panel got out of hand.

One of the day’s discussions turned to tennis bosses at Wimbledon finally deciding to relax the “whites” dress code for players.

Competitors will still be required to wear all-white clothes on top but the All England Club will allow coloured underwear in 2023 to consider the issues some female players may have with their menstrual cycles.

The break from long standing tradition was hot topic for the Loose Women as they hailed the rule change as a long overdue breakthrough.

Loose Women ramped up the savagery today as banter on the panel got out of hand

Janet Street Porter offered up her own experience of unexpectedly coming on her period, when the panel erupt into anarchy and hysterics as the panellists bantered back and forth.

“I’m going to walk to the toilet as if it’s perfectly natural to walk like that with my legs together,” Janet demonstrated as she pretended to hold a newspaper over her bum to hide a leak on her way to the loo.

“It happened to me once in a very posh London restaurant…” she began.

“What your legs together?” Coleen interjected, much to the amusement of the audience. “Come on she’s been married four times!” the ITV star went on as the audience and panel burst into laughter.

Janet branded Coleen a ‘pig person’

Coleen interjected with a savage dig, much to the amusement of the audience
“Ok, pig person,” Janet quipped back, referencing a later show talking point about being “piggy in the middle” in arguments between others.

“Stop it! It’ll be in the magazines,” Coleen cackled.

“Alright, all I’m saying is that every woman watching this will have had that moment, that leakage moment. And it’s not something that happens like it does in the ads.”

Elsewhere on today’s episode, Sarah Beeny joined the panel to discuss her cancer diagnosis and how she kept it from her husband and kids because she “needed to handle it in [her] own head before telling them”.

The entrepreneur, 50 – who is known for fronting property development shows like Property Ladder – announced in August that she’d been diagnosed with breast cancer.

Prince Harry wanted Diana ‘to himself’, left William in pickle

Prince Harry and Prince William’s relationship as children laid bare

 

Prince Harry and Prince William were never close as kids, it is revealed.

The Duke of Sussex and the Prince of Wales, who are currently not on speaking terms after Harry’s bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021, were not the best of buddies either back in the days.

Royal expert Ingrid Seward admits she spoke to Princess Diana while she was still alive and discussed concerns around the two brothers.

She said : She obviously really tried to help him, but all Harry really wanted to do was have his mother to himself.

“He would sometimes pretend that he was ill at school so she could pick him up and take him home so he could sit and watch television with her all afternoon. He was a very tactile young boy. Very close to his mother.”

Ms Seward continued: “I remember after William went on his gap year, way back on operation Raleigh, Harry said ‘he’s much nicer now’, so this myth that Harry and Wiliam were very close, is a myth.

“They were only really close after their mother died. Of course they unified and they were the only two people that knew what it felt like.

“But they weren’t very close as youngsters.”

Grace Kelly and Meghan Markle. Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images; CBS

Meghan Markle is frequently compared to Grace Kelly, who became Princess Grace of Monaco in 1956 and died on September 14, 1982.

Markle and Kelly were both famous American actresses before marrying into royal families.
However, Grace Kelly was forced to give up her career and Hollywood fortune to become a royal.

Grace Kelly and Meghan Markle were both born in the United States and married foreign royals.

Princess Grace and Prince Rainier in 1959; Meghan Markle and Prince Harry in 2019. Victor Blackman/Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images; Chris Jackson/Getty Images
Grace Kelly was born on November 12, 1929, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. According to Biography, her father was a three-time Olympic gold medalist for rowing, while her mother was the first coach of women’s athletic teams at the University of Pennsylvania.

Meghan Markle was born on August 4, 1981, in Los Angeles, California. Her mother, Doria Ragland, was a clinical therapist and yoga instructor, while her father, Thomas Markle, worked in television as a light and photography director.

Meghan Markle and Grace Kelly were both famous actresses before becoming royalty.

Grace Kelly holding her Oscar after she was honored as the “Best Actress” of 1954 at the 27th Academy Awards; Meghan Markle acting in “Suits.” Bettmann/Getty Images; Christos Kalohoridis/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal/Getty Images
Before becoming one of the most famous royals in the world, Grace Kelly had a highly successful career as an actress. She acted in her first film, “Fourteen Hours,” when she was just 22 years old. She got her big break in 1952 with the release of “High Noon,” which launched her career to new heights.

She went on to star in “Mogambo” opposite Clark Gable and Ava Gardner, during which time she was romantically linked to Gable. For her role as Linda Nordley, she was nominated for her first Academy Award and won a Golden Globe Award for best supporting actress. She later won the Academy Award for best actress in 1954 for “The Country Girl,” beating out Judy Garland in “A Star is Born.”

In 2002, Markle landed her first official TV acting credit as Nurse Jill, a small role in “General Hospital.” However, she is best known for her role as Rachel Zane on “Suits.” She appeared in episodes from 2011 to 2018.

Princess Grace met her husband, Prince Rainier, on a photo shoot, while Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were set up on a blind date by a mutual friend.

Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly; Meghan Markle and Prince Harry during their first public outing together at the 2017 Invictus Games. Bettmann/Getty Images; Chris Jackson/Getty Images
According to Harper’s Bazaar, Grace Kelly was invited to join the United States Delegation Committee at the Cannes Film Festival in 1955. While in France for the festival, she met Prince Rainier III of Monaco on the set of a photo shoot. A year later, they were married.

In July 2016, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were set up on a blind date at Soho House in New York City by a mutual friend.

In their first sit-down interview as a couple, Markle told the BBC in 2017 that she didn’t know much about the prince or the royal family before the date.

“Because I’m from the States, you don’t grow up with the same understanding of the royal family,” she said. “I didn’t know much about him, so the only thing that I had asked [our mutual friend] when she said that she wanted to set us up, was, ‘Well, is he nice?’ Cause if he wasn’t kind, it just didn’t seem like it would make sense.”

Princess Grace and Meghan Markle both gave up their acting careers after getting engaged.

Grace Kelly on her wedding day in 1956; Meghan Markle on her wedding day in 2018. Mondadori/Getty Images; Jonathan Brady/WPA Pool/Getty Images
Grace Kelly briefly continued acting after it was announced she was engaged to Prince Rainier in order to fulfill her contract with MGM. In her final film, “High Society,” Kelly even wore one of the two opulent engagement rings given to her by Prince Rainier.

As Insider previously reported, according to The List, J. Randy Taraborrelli wrote in his book, “Once Upon a Time: Behind the Fairy Tale of Princess Grace and Prince Rainier,” that Kelly planned to continue her acting career after her wedding. However, the prince later said he and his wife had decided she would give it up.

“It was widely believed that it was Prince Rainier who made his wife stop acting, as Kelly had no plans of retiring at the time of their engagement,” The List said.

On November 29, 2017, immediately following the engagement announcement, it was officially confirmed that Markle would be exiting “Suits” after seven seasons.

“From all of us at USA Network and Universal Cable Productions, we want to send our most heartfelt congratulations to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry on their engagement,” USA Network said in a statement.

“Meghan has been a member of our family for seven years and it has been a joy to work with her. We want to thank her for her undeniable passion and dedication to ‘Suits,’ and we wish her the very best.”

Her storyline was wrapped up with her character, Rachel Zane, marrying Patrick J. Adams, who plays her love interest, Mike Ross, throughout the show’s seven seasons.

However, her decision to leave Hollywood was apparently not one made by the royal family — Prince Harry told Oprah Winfrey his family suggested Markle should continue acting to earn money.

However, Princess Grace had to relinquish a majority of her Hollywood fortune to pay her royal dowry, something not required of Meghan Markle.

Prince Rainier of Monaco and American actress Grace Kelly during their wedding ceremony at the Cathedral of Saint Nicholas, Monte Carlo, in 1956. The LIFE Picture Collection via Getty Images
Before meeting Prince Rainier, Kelly was on track to become one of the most financially successful actresses in the world. However, after she was asked to pay a $2 million dowry, the equivalent of roughly $20 million today, using her own money and family wealth, she essentially had nothing left.

When she died at the age of 52, Princess Grace only had a net worth of $10,000 and the deed to her grandfather’s small cottage in Ireland in her own name.

Princess Grace’s and Meghan Markle’s marriages were both depicted in the press as fairy tale love stories.

Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly after announcing their engagement in 1956; Prince Harry and Meghan Markle after announcing their engagement in 2017. Bettmann/Getty Images; Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage/Getty Images
Both Grace Kelly’s and Meghan’s Markle’s engagement and wedding days received massive public attention. Both royal weddings were broadcast live to audiences around the world and described as “modern fairy tales.”

Kelly’s wedding to Rainier was the first royal wedding to ever be transmitted live.

Prince Rainier was seeking a bride to produce an heir to the Monegasque throne, whereas Prince Harry knew he would likely never ascend to the throne.

Grace Kelly and Meghan Markle. Sunset Boulevard/Corbis/Getty Images; Charles McQuillan/Getty Images
Kelly maintained that she married for love.

“When I married Prince Rainier, I married the man and not what he represented or what he was. I fell in love with him without giving a thought to anything else,” Kelly once said.

Prince Harry, who was fifth in line to the throne when he married Meghan Markle, had no obligation to produce an heir to the British throne. Now sixth in line, it is extremely unlikely he or his children, Archie and Lilibet, will ever ascend to the throne.

Meghan Markle and Princess Grace both retained their US citizenship after marrying into royalty.

Grace Kelly in New York City in 1982; Meghan Markle in 2018. Robin Platzer/Images/Getty Images; Clive Mason/Getty Images
According to the Princess Grace Foundation, Grace Kelly was not required to renounce her American citizenship and became a dual citizen of the United States and Monaco after marrying Prince Rainier.

Meghan Markle also retained her American citizenship and even voted in the 2020 presidential election after she and Prince Harry moved to California.

Meghan Markle and Princess Grace both experienced culture shock after moving away from the United States.

Grace Kelly and Meghan Markle. Reg Birkett/Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images; Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images
While both Markle and Kelly experienced vastly different ways of life in London and Monaco, respectively, after becoming royalty, they both attempted to adjust to their new roles by immersing themselves in projects and causes they cared about.

“I never really liked Hollywood. I found it unreal — unreal and full of men and women whose lives were confused and full of pain,” Kelly once said.

Once a royal, she supported charities working for child welfare and established her own foundation to benefit local artists.

Meghan Markle appears to have had a harder time adjusting to her royal life and the expectations that came with it — in a March 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, she said she was naive when she entered the marriage. Last year, the California native, Prince Harry, and their son, Archie, all relocated to Santa Barbara after stepping back from the royal family.

However, she too has focused on causes she cares about, formerly serving as a patron of charities in the UK, and launching her nonprofit foundation Archewell with Prince Harry.

After starting a relationship with Prince Harry, Meghan Markle faced negativity and racism in the press.

Meghan Markle newspaper headlines. Yui Mok/PA Images/Getty Images
While there were negative reports about Kelly in the press during her time in Hollywood, Princess Grace was adored by both the people of Monaco and the Monegasque media.

However, Meghan Markle faced oftentimes unfair backlash and criticism from the British tabloids, practically from the moment she was romantically linked to Prince Harry. Her and Prince Harry’s treatment by the British press resulted in multiple lawsuits and a string of legal battles.

Meghan Markle also spoke out about the problems she faced within the royal family that led to her and Prince Harry relinquishing their royal duties and moving to California.

Painful! Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Lose Inheritance Snub By King Charles For Allegedly Disrespecting the Monarchy

The Windsor family has been no stranger to drama over the years, but the latest chapter in the saga seems to have reached a new level of intensity.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, have found themselves on the receiving end of a harsh rebuke from the newly crowned King Charles III, and the consequences could be severe.

King Charles III has taken the unprecedented step of excluding Prince Harry and Meghan Markle from the royal inheritance, a move that underscores the deepening rift within the royal family.

This decision, driven by perceived disrespect towards the monarchy, has sparked significant controversy and placed considerable strain on the couple.

The tension between Harry, Meghan, and the royal family has been escalating since their decision to step back from royal duties in 2020.

King Charles III, in particular, was reportedly offended by the couple’s actions during the royal mourning period, viewing them as a challenge to his authority and the monarchy’s values.

The exclusion from an inheritance estimated at over £100 million has shocked both the public and media, highlighting the severe consequences of their strained relationship with the royal family.

This decision to redirect inheritance funds away from Harry and Meghan reflects ongoing tensions and appears to be a direct response to their public disclosures, including their high-profile interview with Oprah Winfrey.

The monarchy perceives these actions as betrayals that undermine the integrity and traditions of the royal institution.

The public reaction has been polarized, with some criticizing the king’s actions as vindictive and others supporting his stance on preserving the monarchy’s values.

The exclusion has left Harry and Meghan facing significant financial and emotional challenges.

The couple had relied on the inheritance for their charitable efforts and personal expenses, and this setback has intensified their feud with the royal family.

They reportedly feel hurt and betrayed, and speculation about possible legal action to challenge the king’s decision adds another layer of complexity to their strained relationship.

The ongoing drama within the House of Windsor continues to draw global attention, with many questioning the future dynamics between Harry, Meghan, and the royal institution.

Is she or is she not going to launch her lifestyle brand? That’s what a lot of royal fans and critics alike can’t help but wonder about Meghan Markle and her new line, American Riviera Orchard.  Well, luckily we’ve got some answers for you. Keep reading below for everything you need to know.

Royal Family News – Here’s The Real Truth About Meghan Markle’s Lifestyle Brand

Meghan announced her lifestyle brand back in March, but six months later she’s yet to launch it in stores and of course, a lot of people want to know why.

According to Us Weekly, it looks like the launch is still in the planning phase but that it’s going to happen early next year.

One source close to the situation even said, “[ARO] will likely be very much in line with who Meghan is as a person.”

“She loves hosting events, and she’s very thoughtful about how she treats her guests whenever they come over.”

What’s more, Meghan Markle’s new Netflix series “is going to be a take on her and the joy of living” and while also include “little things she’s learned in terms of being a modern-day hostess.” 

It goes without saying that many of Meghan’s followers have had a lot to say about the matter on social media.

Royal Family News – What’s Next For Meghan Markle And ARO?

Some have even commented with, “I am so ready for ARO to launch and for Meghan’s Netflix show to start!! I am ready to start buying and to start watching, hopefully both at the same time.”

Another fan wrote, “She didn’t become an entrepreneur after leaving the RF. She was already one. She gave up a lot when she married into the RF. I would like to see PH on her show helping cook. I bet W&K would have to put out some sort of cooking video afterward.”

So far the Duchess of Sussex has made no comments about the matter just yet. Watch this space.

We will definitely update you with all of the latest details once they come in.

Prince Harry has turned 40 with his life in California worlds away from the one he led 10 years ago on his landmark 30th birthday – and royal experts have one question for the Duke of Sussex after his big day…

From dog walks on the beach under the Californian sun to rubbing shoulders with the Hollywood elite at cosy parties – life for Prince Harry couldn’t be more different compared to 10 years ago.

As he prepared to turn 30, he had just finished his military service, launched his highly successful Invictus Games with the inaugural event in London and was firmly inside the royal bubble as a working member of the Firm.
Fast forward a decade to today, the Duke of Sussex has turned 40 in a set of highly different circumstances having quit royal life and swapped it for a very different one in the United States with his wife Meghan Markle, along with their two children Prince Archie, five, and three-year-old Princess Lilibet.

But that’s not to say things are all rosy – his relationships with his father King Charles and brother Prince William are said to be at breaking point caused by a huge royal rift fuelled by Harry railing against his family in his bombshell Netflix series and controversial memoir. However, some might see their decision to send him public birthday wishes as an olive branch.

But with these huge changes to his life, both positive and more tumultuous, in the past 10 years, many might ask if Harry is happy at 40. And according to royal expert and historian Dr Tessa Dunlop, it is the “million-dollar question”. She told the Mirror: “He is certainly rich (more money has just poured into his coffers from the late Queen Mother), and with the Sussexes’ unique blend of Californian-royalty, he is stratospherically famous.

Harry with wife Meghan Markle ( 
Image:
Getty Images Ms. Foundation for Women)

Harry and Meghan with their children Archie and Lilibet ( 
Image:
Netflix)
“But ‘happy’ is much harder to quantify. Certainly at 40 Harry’s world is miles away from his royal bubble of ten years ago. Then, he was the product of two very British institutions – the army and the monarchy. Nowadays, dog walks on Californian sand and casual dinners in a local Italian with a new set of Montecito friends, have replaced the predictable royal churn of Balmoral, Sandringham, King and Country.

“But, if you look for it, there is continuity. Ten years ago, Harry celebrated his 30th birthday with the launch of the Invictus Games. He had found his calling: later writing: ‘I was caught off guard by this wave of appreciation and gratitude. And joy.’

“Service, then and now, makes Harry happy. The big difference is ten years ago Harry had his Dad by his side. ‘Well done, darling boy’ was Charles’s response to Harry’s first Invictus performance. Nowadays, the Prince is a seasoned performer, but I suspect he’d be far happier if his father was still cheering him from the sidelines. A landmark birthday is always a good place to start. Fingers crossed the King found the time to reach out to his son, yesterday of all days.”

Harry just after his 30th birthday ( 
Image:
Getty Images)

Meanwhile, royal biographer Ingrid Seward believes that not even Harry could have foretold his life now. She explained: “Harry would never have envisaged himself living in California 10 years ago. He was still dedicated to the military although his active career was ending. He founded the Invictus Games and the first tournament took place to huge fanfare in London in September 2014 around the time of his 30th birthday.

“King Charles would have celebrated his son’s 40th from a distance. Milestone birthdays are important to the royals. Whatever upsets Harry has caused will be forgotten for the day. Prince William wished his brother Happy Birthday – even if it was through clenched teeth. He doesn’t trust him, but together with his family he wished him the best on his milestone birthday.”

Ahead of his big day, Harry insisted he is ‘excited’ about turning 40 as he prepares to celebrate this birthday with friends. In a statement issued to the BBC, he said: “I was anxious about 30, I’m excited about 40. Whatever the age, my mission is to continue showing up and doing good in the world.

“Becoming a father of two incredibly kind and funny kids has given me a fresh perspective on life, as well as sharpening my focus in all my work. Being a dad is one of life’s greatest joys and has only made me more driven and more committed to making this world a better place.”

Harry is understood to have spent his birthday with his two children as well as wife Meghan. He is said to have planned a holiday with friends afterwards to mark the age. It is in stark contrast to the 30th birthday celebrations held for him 10 years ago. Ingrid added: “Harry celebrated his 30th with his mates at a grand dinner in Clarence House. His 40th will be in the sunshine of Montecino with a wife and two kids. He says he is happier now. We hope he is.”

Today’s display of warmth will be seen as an olive branch from the King after the feud sparked by his Harry’s 2021 interview with US chat show queen Oprah Winfrey, experts say

After two years of birthday snubs, the Royal Family’s ­message to Prince Harry on his 40th suggest a thaw in their relationship.

Today’s display of warmth will be seen as an olive branch from the King over their feud sparked by his son’s 2021 interview with US chat show queen Oprah Winfrey.

He is keen to have a better relationship with Harry. Prince William, who barely speaks to his brother, and Kate also sent him a birthday message.

The Royal Family shared a snap of ­Harry smiling along with an emoji of a cake and said: “Wishing the Duke of Sussex a very happy 40th birthday.” It is the first time they have shared a public message for Harry since his 2021 birthday.

Kate and William haven’t shared a public message for Harry since his 2021 birthday

The Prince and Princess of Wales posted: “Wishing a Happy 40th birthday to the Duke of Sussex.”

Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams said: ­“Hopefully, a feeling of goodwill will be engendered by these ­unexpected public good wishes and will be taken forward.”

A royal insider added: “Much has been said over the fractured nature of the Duke’s relationship with his family and much of his own doing. He is open to reconciliation as is the King. The King’s health, his upcoming autumn tour to Australia and the next chapter of his reign are his main focus, but there is always room to improve ­relations with his son.

The Prince and Princess of Wales posted: “Wishing a Happy 40th birthday to the Duke of Sussex”
“Whether other family members follow suit is another matter.” But sources warned it could be a long road before ­relationships between Harry and Meghan and the royals are properly mended. Reports said Charles would call Harry to mark his 40th, but William was “unlikely” to, so that birthday message came as a surprise.

The brothers last saw each other at a memorial service for their uncle Lord Robert Fellowes a couple of weeks ago. But they never spoke.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex ( 
Image:
WireImage)

King Charles III and Queen Camilla ( 
Image:
Getty Images)

Harry decided to have a quiet 40th with Meghan and children Archie and Lilibet at their California home.

He is then going camping with pals, including explorer Inge Solheim, 51, in the ­Colorado mountains. Speaking about his birthday, Harry said last week about his upcoming birthday: “I was anxious about 30, I’m excited about 40. Becoming a father has given me a fresh perspective on life.”

Vanity Fair yesterday claimed Harry may hire an image consultant to boost his reputation in Britain.

The King is looking for a shepherd to look after his 2,000 sheep on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, but they must have their own dog.

The Duke of Sussex entitled his memoir Spare as he is second to William in line to the throne and now a royal expert has told how Princess Diana was worried about his sense of “inadequacy” as a child

Prince Harry had a “feeling of inadequacy” compared to William even as a young child that concerned Diana, a royal expert has claimed.

The Duke of Sussex has had a frictious relationship with the Royal Family since leaving for the United States where he has been critical of his previous way of life in interviews with American media.

And in his memoir titled Spare he discussed his upbringing where he was given the nickname that was the title of the book by his father Charles. Harry claimed Charles said to Princess Diana: “Wonderful! Now you’ve given me an heir and a spare – my work is done.”

In the book he expresses his resentment to the nickname and the way he would always be playing second fiddle to William as he writes about his childhood and royal role.

And royal biographer Ingrid Seward has said that as a young child, Diana was worried that Harry felt inadequate compared to William. She told of a time when William was mentioned to Harry when he was at school and he reacted angrily.

Harry and Diana in the garden of Highgrove House in 1986 ( 
Image:
Getty Images)
“[Diana] was very concerned about [Harry’s] feeling of inadequacy with William. Even when they were very little, when Harry went to Miss Minors, which was the baby school, after William had been there, the teacher there said to him ‘here Harry, play with this clay, William used to be really good at making model figures’,” Ms Seward told The Sun.

“Harry threw it down and said ‘no!’, so from a very young age, Harry felt inadequate. It was nothing to do with Diana, nothing to do with Charles, but it was just there.” The Duke of Sussex used the tell-all tome to also make various claims about his family including that William called his wife Meghan Markle ‘difficult’, ‘rude’ and ‘abrasive’ and pushed him into a dog bowl. Among other allegations he also said that Charles refused to allow Meghan to join him in Scotland as the late Queen was dying.

Harry and William have had a difficult relationship in recent years ( 
Image:
Getty Images)
Next month a paperback version of Spare is due to be released. Usually, when a paperback version of a non-fiction book is released, additional chapters or updated information is included in the new format. However, the paperback version of Spare will not contain any new information. It will have the same cover image in a newly designed package and the “contents of the book are unchanged”.

Since the release of Spare, things seem to have gone from bad to worse for relations between Harry and his father and older brother. When it comes to Harry and William, their feud, brewing before the book was released, has become even more frosty. According to The Sunday Times, it is understood the brothers last spoke at their grandmother the late Queen’s funeral in September 2022 – and even then, according to Harry’s memoir, they “barely exchanged a word”.

Prince Harry was sent surprise birthday wishes from both King Charles and the Prince and Princess of Wales as he turned 40 yesterday – and some believed that the posts took a swipe at Meghan Markle

Prince Harry’s 40th birthday sparked shock public messages from his estranged royal relatives.

Both the social media accounts of King Charles and the Prince and Princess of Wales marked the Duke of Sussexes’ milestone birthday with a message on both X and Instagram. The official royal account went first and posted a striking image of a beaming Harry with the message: “Wishing The Duke of Sussex a very happy 40th birthday today!”

Minutes later the same post was shared on William and Kate’s account with the message: “Wishing a Happy 40th Birthday to The Duke of Sussex!” The snap used in both posts shows Harry smiling during an engagement when he was a working royal on a trip he and wife Meghan Markle made to Ireland in 2018.

It was taken at the Dogpatch Labs start-up in Dublin in July of that year and online sleuths claimed the birthday posts made a dig at Meghan by cropping her out of the post. That’s because there is a wider shot of the image, which shows Harry sitting at a table with his wife along with other guests.

However, it seems that there are in fact two versions of the picture available – the wider shot and one that has already been pre-cropped by the photographer, which just features Harry and is available for use through picture agencies, such as Getty Images.

A wider shot of the image used to wish Harry happy birthday on the Royal Family accounts ( 
Image:
Getty Images)

Getty Images confirmed to the Mirror that the photo is a pool image collected from a non-Getty Images photographer – but added that it is “standard practice to crop images to get singles, as has been done here”. Therefore it is likely the Royal Family official accounts did not crop Meghan out of the image themselves – and rather they chose the available single pre-cropped image of Harry to use in the post, given he was the one celebrating his 40th birthday.

It comes as Harry, who lives in California after stepping down from the working monarchy, is believed to have spent his birthday on Sunday with Meghan and their children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. He is then said to have headed away for a gathering with close friends.

A cropped version of the picture is also available via several international photo agencies

Harry enters his fifth decade in what has been a rollercoaster year for the royal family, with both the King and the Princess of Wales being diagnosed with cancer. When the King’s shock health news was announced in February, Harry made a transatlantic dash to see him but his meeting with his father was kept to just 45 minutes.

In comments released to the BBC, the duke said “I was anxious about 30, I’m excited about 40”, and described how fatherhood had given him a renewed sense of purpose to make “this world a better place”.

Harry’s year has seen him try his hand at the skeleton bobsled when he joined Invictus Games competitors training in Canada, and undertake quasi-royal tours to Colombia and Nigeria. The duke has an upcoming trip to New York later this month, where he will carry out visits for his Archewell Foundation, and engagements with African Parks, The Halo Trust, The Diana Award, and Travalyst.

Prince Harry was sent birthday greetings as he turns 40 today from across the Atlantic by Prince William and Kate despite his bitter royal rift with King Charles and his brother

Prince Harry has received a surprise public birthday message from his estranged royal relatives on his 40th birthday.

The Kensington Palace official social media account posted a message to the Duke of Sussex, across the Atlantic in California, as he celebrates the landmark birthday today – despite him being embroiled in a bitter feud with his father King Charles and brother Prince William.

It read: “Wishing a Happy 40th Birthday to The Duke of Sussex!”

Only working royals usually get birthday wishes on the official Royal Family social media accounts. The last time Harry got birthday wishes on the Royal Family account was three years ago in 2021 when the late Queen was still alive. The Prince and Princess of Wales ‘ account last publicly sent him birthday wishes in the same year.

Harry has been embroiled in a feud with his father and brother since he and wife Meghan Markle dramatically quit as working royals in 2020. The feud was fuelled by Harry railing against his family in his 2022 bombshell Netflix series and controversial memoir, Spare, released last year.

He remains estranged from his brother William, which was highlighted by the siblings reportedly not talking when they attended a family funeral last month. Previous reports suggested they had not talked in over two years since the late Queen died.

Meanwhile, other reports have claimed Harry and his dad are no longer speaking with one long-running issue seeing their estrangement deepen. Sources close to the Sussexes claimed that Harry’s calls to his dad are going unanswered as Harry tries to discuss his security arrangements with his father. The Duke has been embroiled in a long-running battle over his security when he comes to the UK after he automatically lost the right to his police protection when he stepped down as a working royal.

He has lost his subsequent court battles to have it reinstated for him, wife Meghan and their two children and is planning an appeal. According to PEOPLE magazine, Harry believes his dad could help to have this reinstated, although this has been dismissed as “wholly inaccurate” by a palace source.

And now a friend of Harry’s told the magazine: “He gets ‘unavailable right now’. His calls go unanswered. He has tried to reach out about the King’s health, but those calls go unanswered too.”

The birthday wishes come as Harry said: “Bring on the next decade”, as he turns his back on a turbulent period that rocked the Royal Family. Harry said he was ‘excited’ about celebrating his 40th birthday ahead of the big day, and in comments released to the BBC he said fatherhood had given him a renewed sense of purpose to make “this world a better place”.

The past 10 years have been a period of upheaval for Harry and his wife Meghan who, after struggling behind the scenes with royal life, stepped down as working royals and moved to America for financial and personal freedom.

The couple appear content with their lives in the celebrity enclave of Montecito in California where they have established a new life for themselves and their children Archie, five, and Lilibet, three.

Harry told the BBC: “I was anxious about 30, I’m excited about 40. Becoming a father of two incredibly kind and funny kids has given me a fresh perspective on life, as well as sharpening my focus in all my work. Being a dad is one of life’s greatest joys and has only made me more driven and more committed to making this world a better place. Bring on the next decade.”

Harry is expected to celebrate his 40th birthday with family and friends before spending some time away with a group of close pals, according to reports.

George Clooney issues warning to Meghan Markle following royal birth

WINDSOR, UNITED KINGDOM – MAY 19: Amal Clooney and George Clooney arrive at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle before the wedding of Prince Harry to Meghan Markle on May 19, 2018 in Windsor, England. (Photo by Gareth Fuller – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

George Clooney says he hopes for “kinder” treatment towards the Duchess of Sussex now she has become a mother.

The US actor, 58, has previously complained that Meghan was being “pursued and vilified” and compared her treatment to that of Diana, Princess of Wales.

Speaking at the Catch-22 premiere about media scrutiny of Meghan and Harry, he told the Associated Press: “I think it’ll (becoming parents) intensify it, of course.

“But it’s never about the media following you around, because that, in part, if you’re a royal, that’s part of what you have to do.

Read more: First royal baby photos – live blog

“It’s the other versions of it – going to interview people’s parents, that kind of stuff.”

“It starts to step into a really dark place,” said Clooney, who has denied he will be a godfather to the baby.

“It’s just, sort of, the press turned on them. I think people should be a little kinder. She’s a young woman who just had a baby.”

LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 11: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey on March 11, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage)
The Clooneys have holidayed with the Sussexes in Italy and were also at their wedding. Amal Clooney also attended Meghan’s luxury baby shower.

Hollywood star Clooney also joked to Entertainment Tonight about sharing a birthday with the young royal.

“I was a little irritated because that kid really is stealing my thunder!,” he said.

Read more: Clooney ‘overstepped the mark’ with defense

The actor gushed about his international human rights lawyer wife, following the release of two Reuters journalists in Burma after they were imprisoned over reporting on security forces’ abuses of Rohingya Muslims.

“My wife spent the last year, every day… working, as hard as you could work, behind the scenes, to get these guys out,” the father of twins said.

George Clooney and Amal Clooney arrive at the Los Angeles premiere of “Catch-22” at TCL Chinese Theatre on Tue., May 7, 2019. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
“And last night for my birthday, at my birthday dinner, those two men (Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo) walked out. And I have to tell you, I couldn’t be more proud of my wife,” he told the Associated Press.

“It’s a dangerous time, you know. It’s a dangerous time to be a journalist.”

Clooney stars in, produced and partially directed the TV adaptation of Joseph Heller’s novel.

The six-episode mini-series will air on Channel 4 in the UK.