Prince Harry, who once enjoyed a close bond with his sister-in-law Kate Middleton, now finds himself estranged from her following his departure from royal life.

While Prince William reportedly remains deeply resentful, the Princess of Wales is said to have made efforts to heal the rift. According to a royal source, Kate reached out to Harry on his 40th birthday, hoping to encourage reconciliation within the royal family.

As reported by Marie Claire, an insider shared, “She told William in no uncertain terms that this is not the time for resentment, they needed to show the world that love and family are front and center of their values, but more importantly she wanted Harry to have this message on his big day.”

On September 15 last year, the Prince and Princess of Wales marked Harry’s birthday with a public message on X (formerly Twitter), writing: “Wishing a happy 40th birthday to The Duke of Sussex!” It was the first public acknowledgment of Harry’s birthday by the Waleses since 2021.

The same source explained that Kate “was very much the driving force behind Harry’s birthday wishes.” The gesture reportedly held great meaning for Harry. “It meant the world to Harry that the royals, as well as the Waleses, sent this olive branch on social media,” the source added.