‘This not an olive branch’: Netizens dub Royal Family’s birthday post for Prince Harry ‘PR stunt’ because Meghan Markle…

As Prince Harry celebrated his 40th birthday on Sunday, social media users accused the royal family of cropping Meghan Markle from the photo.

Published on: Sep 16, 2024, 16:33:55 IST

By Shweta Kukreti

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As Prince Harry celebrated his 40th birthday on Sunday, social media users accused the royal family of removing Meghan Markle from an official photo commemorating the occasion.

In Dublin, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were pictured conversing with leaders and members sat at a round table at Dogpatch Labs, a digital startup and innovation hub with over 500 members. (AP )

Amidst the ongoing family tensions, the royal family surprisingly posted Prince Harry's picture to wish him a very happy birthday.

The royal fans soon noticed that the Duchess of Sussex was cropped from the picture, which appeared on the Royal Family’s official social media account that represents King Charles and Queen Camilla and was retweeted by the Prince and Princess of Wales.

“Wishing The Duke of Sussex a very happy 40th birthday today!” the Royal Family account wrote. Meanwhile, Prince William and Kate Middleton tweeted: “Wishing a Happy 40th Birthday to The Duke of Sussex!”

Netizens fume as Royal family ‘cropped’ Meghan from birthday post for Harry

Following the two posts from the British monarch's family, social media users quickly started blaming the royals for allegedly cropping Meghan out of the picture that was posted on social media, arguing that this should not be seen as a “olive branch.”

“Just so you know, the Royal Family cropped Meghan out of that photo. This is not an olive branch,” wrote one X user.

“Charles and William both wish Harry a happy birthday—but use photo in which Meghan is cropped out,” another remarked.

“The #royalfamily's fake birthday post to #Harry is just a PR stunt to distract from their toxic dynamics. And #Meghan being cropped out is a clear sign of their ongoing cruelty. It's time to #AbolishTheMonarchy and reject their outdated, discriminatory values,” a third user chimed in.

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What all you need to know about Harry's picture

The photo was originally taken on July 11, 2018, during Harry and Meghan's official tour to Ireland, which took place a few weeks after their wedding.

In Dublin, the couple was pictured conversing with leaders and members sat at a round table at Dogpatch Labs, a digital startup and innovation hub with over 500 members.

During the table talk, Harry and Meghan were seated next to each other, and official royal rota photographers snapped a lot of pictures, including the one posted by Royal family on Harry's 40th birthday.

The couple's tense connections with King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William, and Princess Kate have been the subject of countless press articles and social media posts since they stepped down from their royal duties and relocated to the United States in 2020.

When Harry's book, Spare, came out in 2023, he disclosed that he was no longer on speaking terms with Charles and William due to their strained relationship.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shweta Kukreti
Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.Read More

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