King Charles delivered a clear message to his younger son, Prince Harry, by sharing a special birthday tribute to the heir to the throne, Prince William, on Friday.
Buckingham Palace made Prince William's day even more special by releasing an adorable baby picture of William with his father, King Charles, in celebration of his 42nd birthday. As tensions between the Royal Family and Harry seemingly worsen, the photo shared on the Royal Family's official social media accounts is seen as a lesson for Harry following the allegations and interviews in his book, Spare.
The black-and-white portrait, taken in 1982, features little Prince William smiling on his father's lap as then Prince Charles beams affectionately at his eldest son. This might be particularly poignant for Harry, as the King did not share any similar tribute for Harry on his birthday, which falls on September 15th. Charles chose this particular picture, taken two years before Harry's birth, to seemingly remind his estranged son that nothing is more important than family.
A source close to Harry speculated on his possible reaction, saying, "Harry must be feeling down after seeing the King's new meaningful picture of William, as the Duke always complains about being treated as the 'spare' of the family." They added, "The King has seemingly moved Harry to tears with this great honor to William." Another insider claimed, "The King always honors those who remain steadfast and loyal to him and the family. It's his style to cut ties with those who turn their back on him and the Firm."
Catherine, the Princess of Wales, also shared a heartwarming, never-before-seen photo of Prince William and their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, to mark his 42nd birthday on Instagram. The Princess of Wales penned a sweet note on behalf of the kids, expressing how much the future king of Britain is loved on his special day. The photo featured the Prince of Wales joyfully leaping in the air, hand-in-hand with his three children. "Happy birthday, Papa! We all love you so much," the caption read. The image was taken by Catherine on a beach in Norfolk last month.
Additionally, the U.S. State Department Diplomatic Security Service wished the Prince a happy birthday on X, stating, "Happy birthday, Prince William. It's always an honor to protect you during your travels to our country. Cheers!" With Harry's ongoing push for security, there might be frustration in Montecito. Some believe that Harry would envy the acknowledgment that William received, as he desires the same level of importance and recognition. It is possible that people in the State Department are upset with Harry for disclosing his drug use in Spare without considering the broader implications, such as causing grief for officials who followed unwritten protocols for dealing with individuals like him.
Earlier this year, Prince Harry faced a significant setback regarding his security when he visits the UK. Recently, the Duke has been locked in a legal battle against the Home Office over the February 2020 decision by the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (RAVEC) that he should receive a different level of taxpayer-funded protection when in the country. RAVEC's decision was a result of a change in Harry's status after he stopped being a full-time working member of the Royal Family, a judge was told.
