The royal family has wished the Duke of Sussex a happy 40th birthday in what marks the first public message for Harry since 2021.

A post shared on X, formerly Twitter, said simply: “Wishing The Duke of Sussex a very happy 40th birthday today!”.

The message was also complete with a picture of a smiling Harry and an emoji of a birthday cake.

It is the first time the royal family has shared a public message for Harry since wishing him a happy birthday in 2021.

Harry is spending his milestone birthday on Sunday with Meghan and their children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

He is then said to be heading away for a gathering with close friends.

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 diagnosed with cancer.

But the duke, who lives in California after stepping down from the working monarchy, remains estranged from his brother the Prince of Wales and faces a strained relationship with Charles.

Harry and a waving Meghan stand in the audience at the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf last year
Harry and Meghan at the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf last year (Jordan Pettitt/PA)

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.

In Colombia, Meghan, addressed a panel on Afro-Descendant Women and Power and told how her three-year-old daughter Lili had “absolutely found her voice”.

The couple also relaunched their Archewell website, rebranding it as Sussex.com under the title The Office of Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

Harry travelled to London in May to celebrate a decade of his Invictus Games and attended a service at St Paul’s Cathedral but did not meet up with his brother or father.

Harry leaving St Paul’s Cathedral in London after attending a service of thanksgiving to mark the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games
Harry leaving St Paul’s Cathedral in London after attending a service of thanksgiving to mark the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games (Yui Mok/PA)

Birmingham has won the bid to host the sporting competition in 2027, with the duke congratulating the city on its success and looking set to attend the Games in the UK in three years’ time.

In July, Harry received the Pat Tillman Award for Service, awarded by sports channel ESPN to individuals in the sporting world, for using his platform to “change the world”.

But Tillman’s mother Mary reportedly expressed her shock that the honour was given to “such a controversial and divisive individual”.

In his speech, Harry praised Mrs Tillman, saying: “Her advocacy for Pat’s legacy is deeply personal and one that I respect. The bond between a mother and son is eternal and transcends even the greatest losses.”

The duke has also pursued his legal cases against tabloid newspapers over allegations of phone hacking and unlawful information-gathering.

Harry told an ITV documentary that his determination to fight the tabloids over allegations of phone hacking was a “central piece” in destroying his relationship with his family.

The Sunday Times reported that his legal battle with the Home Office over his security while in the UK has “frustrated” the King.

Harry lost a High Court challenge against the Home Office in February over a decision to change the level of his personal security when he visits the UK, but he has been given the green light to appeal.

During the case, the court was told Harry believes his children cannot “feel at home” in the UK if it is “not possible to keep them safe” there and that he faces a greater risk than his late mother, with “additional layers of racism and extremism”.

Meghan meanwhile started a new venture with the soft launch of her brand American Riviera Orchard when she sent limited edition strawberry jam to her friends – although the business has faced setbacks with its attempts at trademarking.

Harry’s new Netflix documentary series about the world of polo is set to air in December.

There was a brief return to the UK for the duke in August for the funeral of his uncle Lord Fellowes, when he stayed at Althorp, the ancestral home of his late mother Diana, Princess of Wales.

He reportedly had no interaction with William at the church service.

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.