Yes, Prince William Publicly Wished His Brother a Happy Birthday, But That’s Not What Caught My Eye

I may not have an encyclopedic knowledge of British royal family history (yet), but as a royal reporter, I've kept a close enough eye on their social handles to predict the content they'll share. For instance, highlights from their royal engagements, major health updates and personal letters to Team GB are just a few things I've come to expect on their official pages, from Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace. But a birthday tribute from Prince William to his brother? I'll confess, I did not see that one coming.

Even so, the fact that the Prince of Wales acknowledged Prince Harry's milestone birthday wasn't the biggest surprise for me. In case you missed it, the 42-year-old royal took to X (formerly Twitter) and wished his little brother a happy birthday. The message reads, "Wishing a Happy 40th Birthday to The Duke of Sussex!" And naturally, royal fans lit up the comments section with their own well wishes. But there's one strange detail that's been nagging at me, and it's the fact that Prince William opted for a retweet, rather than an original post.

As you can see, King Charles initially sent out an original birthday tribute that reads, "Wishing The Duke of Sussex a very happy 40th birthday today," complete with a birthday cake emoji and a snap of the duke laughing. The fun post suggests the monarch was extending an olive branch to Harry, but what I find most striking is the fact that Prince William didn't follow suit by creating a post of his own. Sure, his post indicates that he put in some effort despite a years-long tension, but am I the only one who finds it weird that this wasn't at least a coordinated effort?

Now, before you ask—yes, I know that Prince Harry didn't share a birthday tribute when William turned 42 earlier this year. However, it's worth noting that neither Harry nor his wife, Meghan Markle, have been active on social media since 2020. And when it comes to their official website, updates are reserved for official engagements. It's likely the duke marked this occasion offline, so I wouldn't be too quick to assume that Prince William's gesture is one-sided.