Meghan Markle appeared to be snubbed by the Royal Family and other high profile acquaintances when she celebrated her 44th birthday on August 8.
The lack of well wishes from celebrities including Beyoncé and Tyler Perry marked a contrast to previous years.
Meghan last received a public message from the official Royal Family social media account 2021, when she turned 40 – the year after she and Prince Harry, 40, stepped down from royal duties and moved to California.
In response to queries about why the Duchess of Sussex’s birthday has not been publicly recognised, royal aides have said they only mark the birthdays of working members of the Royal Family on their official social media accounts – but this differed from what members of The Firm have done previously.
When Meghan turned 41 in 2022, she received messages from a number of royals, including the Prince and Princess of Wales.
The then-Prince Charles and his wife Camilla also took to social media, wishing Meghan a happy birthday on X (then Twitter).
However, when she celebrated turning 42-years-old in 2023, the royals were all silent.
Speaking at the time, royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told Newsweek: ‘When Meghan turned 40 Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall and the Cambridges [William and Kate] sent birthday wishes.
Meghan Markle celebrated her 44th birthday on August 8 this year – but not everyone sent her public greetings
‘When she turned 41, the queen did not, but the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall and William and Catherine did. This year they ignored her birthday which has been represented in the press as a snub.’
He added that the release of Harry memoirs Spare in January that year, in addition to their 2021 interview with Oprah, had been ‘extremely damaging’ to relations between the Sussexes and The Firm.
And the royals weren’t the only high profile people who remained silent on social media.
When Meghan tuned 40 in 2021, she received sweet public greetings from Beyoncé.
A message shared on the singer’s website said: ‘Happy Birthday Meghan Markle’.
It was accompanied by a childhood photo of Meghan, who sported a pink headline with a flower detail, and a button-up blue frock with puff sleeves.
US-based columnist told the Express that the lack of birthday wishes from royals was not a snub, rather ‘an understandable dodge of [Meghan’s] drama’.
‘From the Oprah interview’s racism allegations to the mock curtsy that spat on the late Queen’s legacy.
The Prince and Princess of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and King Charles are pictured on Christmas Day in Sandringham in 2018 – no members of the Royal Family publicly wished Meghan a happy birthday this year
‘Why on earth would they send birthday wishes to a poisonous troublemaker who haunted the last days of their late matriarch and her beloved husband?’
A number of reports have also noted how the Duchess had a very ‘low key’ celebration for her birthday, having a small, private meal, with celebrity friends including Oprah, Serena Williams and Tyler Perry absent from the event.
According to journalist Rob Shuter, a Hollywood insider said that while ‘Oprah helped launch Meghan and Harry’s entire media brand […] that connection has gone quiet’.
Another A-lister who failed to wish Meghan a happy 44th birthday was Tyler Perry.
When Meghan turned 41-years-old in 2022, the entertainment mogul shared a gushing post on Instagram.
It said: ‘I’ve had a front row seat in your life for the past few years. I’ve watched you endure things that would have broken a lot of people. I’m so incredibly proud to see how happy you, your husband, and your kids are now. It fills me with joy to say Happy Birthday Princess Meghan.’
The Sussexes quit their roles as senior working members of the Royal Family in January 2020, before moving to the US in June of that year, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Following their departure, Harry and Meghan gave an explosive interview to Oprah about their experiences of being royals in 2021.
Beyonce wished Meghan Markle a happy birthday in 2021, when the former senior royal turned 40 (Meghan is pictured meeting Beyonce at the premiere of The Lion King in London in 2019)
Meanwhile, Oprah Winfrey (pictured attending the Toronto International Film Festival in 2022) was not seen celebrating Meghan’s birthday – despite the two previously being friends
Serena Williams (pictured while appearing in Netflix’s docuseries Harry & Meghan) was also reportedly absent from the Duchess’ 44th birthday celebrations
The couple’s bombshell interview sent shock waves around the world as the couple laid bare the extent of their rift with the Queen and other senior royals.
They then signed a deal with Netflix and released their docuseries named Harry & Meghan in December 2022, before the Prince released his controversial tell-all autobiography Spare, published in January last year.
In the book he claimed he begged his father not to marry Camilla due to fears she would be a ‘wicked stepmother’.
Harry also alleged that his brother, Prince William ‘knocked me to the floor’ in 2019 during an argument about his marriage to Meghan.
However, while Meghan did not receive greetings from some of her acquaintances, her birthday was publicly marked by a number of her famous friends.
Close pals including Meghan’s costar in the legal drama Abigail Spencer, Kelly McKee Zajfen, Tracy Robbins, Jamie Kern Lima all took to Instagram to share gushing compliments, calling the Duchess ‘pure magic’ and describing her as ‘like sunshine in a bottle’.
And in a rare move from the Duchess, she commented on their posts in a mutual display of affection.
Meghan’s long-time pal Abigail was the first to share a tribute to the Duchess, calling her ‘Champagne in human form’ and a ‘sister in this life and beyond’.
However, some of Meghan’s friends took to social media to wish her a happy birthday, including her former Suits co-star Abigail Spencer (Meghan and Abigail are seen while appearing in an episode of Suits)
Meghan Markle’s closest friends, including Jamie Kern Lima, pictured with the Duchess marked her 44th birthday with a series of gushing tributes shared to social media
Jamie Kern Lima (pictured) also wished the Duchess of Sussex a happy birthday via Instagram Stories
As Abigail was also celebrating her birthday yesterday, Meghan fired back: ‘Thank you, sweet Abs! Right back at you, and happy birthday to YOU! 44/4’ – her comment referring to them both turning 44 on the fourth day of the month.
Kelly McKee Zajfen, a former model and co-founder of Alliance of Moms, has been friends with Meghan for many years after first meeting with the Duchess’s ex-husband, Trevor Engelson.
Kelly wrote: ‘Happy Birthday to you sweet M!!
‘You’re pure magic!! A force of fun, light, and so much love. Thank you for being the kind of friend who makes everything better (and way more fun). Here’s to the best trip around the ☀️ yet!
‘(This captures us perfectly! ✨✨) Love you so very much!’
Meghan replied: ‘Thank you!’, adding heart, cake and champagne emojis.
The Duchess also featured in several new photos shared by her close pal Tracy Robbins, who lives in Montecito and is married to Paramount boss Brian Robbins – with the couple occasionally going on double dates with Meghan and Prince Harry.
Tracy showed a very light-hearted and laidback side to Meghan, as they were seen giggling while enjoying cocktails together.
Meghan’s make-up artist friend Daniel Martin shared a candid snap of the Duchess and her beagle Mia enjoying the sun in her Montecito garden
The Duchess shared rare personal comments to Instagram as she replied to the posts
In one candid snap, Meghan couldn’t contain her laughter as some of the foam from her cocktail landed on her nose.
‘Happy birthday my dear @meghan Oh how I can laugh and dance with you like no other. You are sunshine in a bottle!’ Tracy gushed.
‘Thank you for always making time to be such a loving and connected friend no matter what’s going on in your life. You dance through this life with so much grace, light and love!’
Referring to her husband Prince Harry, and children Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, four, she added: ‘I hope your wee posse of 3 are smothering you with hugs and kisses today my dear! Happiest of birthdays M!’
Keeping it simple, Meghan commented a selection of pink and red heart emojis.
Tracy also shared a photo of Meghan and her husband Brian backstage at Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tour – which they attended together in May at the SoFi stadium in California. She added: ‘Happy birthday M! Brian and I adore you!’
Also among the well wishers was Jamie Kern Lima, who hosted Meghan on her podcast – The Jamie Kern Lima Show – earlier this year.
A post she shared on her story said: ‘Happy Birthday @meghan thank you for being love, light and such a great friend to everyone who has the gift of truly knowing you!!!’
Tracy Robbins shared a behind-the-scenes snap of her husband Brian and Meghan at Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tour
Seconds later, she shared another image, holding a rainbow fruit platter they had made behind the scenes of the podcast: ‘Happy Birthday @meghan Wonder had so much fun making this for you! Can’t wait to see what we learn on Season 2 of your show! Thank you for being love, light and such a generous friend to everyone you meet!’
And Meghan’s make-up artist pal Daniel Martin, who helped get the Duchess ready for her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry, shared a sweet snap of Meghan and her beagle Mia in the garden of her Montecito mansion, simply writing ‘HBD sis!’
Rounding off the tributes was actress Kerry Washington, who has been friends with Meghan since 2013, and said: ‘To this beautiful (inside and out) @meghan Love you so much!’
In addition, Meghan’s As Ever brand has posted a gushing birthday tribute as she turned 44. Her lifestyle company took to Instagram with a black and white snapshot of the mother-of-two wearing a sundress and hat as she beamed into the distance.
The caption enthused about Meghan and her role leading the company.
‘Celebrating the woman behind it all,’ it read. ‘She pours her heart, vision and magic touch into every detail, and today, we raise a glass to her! Happy birthday to our founder.’
It was then re-shared on As Ever’s Instagram Story alongside two champagne flutes clinking together in celebration.
