On Wednesday, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall were among the royals present to celebrate the Duke of Sussex’s 37th birthday.
Charles and Camilla shared three photos of Prince Harry from previous royal engagements on their Clarence House social media accounts, including one of Charles and Harry in South Africa in 1997. This was the couple’s first trip outside of the United Kingdom since Princess Diana’s tragic death. During his half-term break from school, Prince Harry embarked on his first major tour. Because Prince William’s half-term ended the week they were away, he was unable to join them.
Harry explained why Africa is such a special place to him during his 2019 tour of Africa, saying: “I’ve been coming here for fifteen years, and it’s a sense of escapism, a true sense of purpose… Over the years, some of my closest friends have visited me here. It was a nice place to get away from it all when I came here in 1997 or 1998, right after my mother died. This place, and Africa, have a strong hold on me.”
“Wishing The Duke of Sussex a very Happy Birthday today,” Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall wrote alongside the photos, followed by a cake emoji.
After stepping down from royal duties in March 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex now live in Montecito, Santa Barbara, with their two-year-old Archie and three-month-old Lilibet.
In a March interview with Oprah Winfrey, Prince Harry admitted that his father and he have a strained relationship “”I have a lot to work out with Charles,” she said, adding, “but I will always love him.” There has been a great deal of suffering. I’m going to keep making it a priority to mend that relationship.”
After the interview aired, the Prince of Wales made no public comments.
In royal biography, there is a new epilogue. Following Prince Philip’s funeral in April, according to Finding Freedom, Harry spoke with Charles at a small outdoor gathering at Windsor Castle.
Harry previously praised Charles for assisting him on the day of his May 2018 wedding to Meghan Markle.
The Prince of Wales accompanied Meghan halfway down the aisle at St George’s Chapel in Windsor when her father was unable to attend the wedding.
In the 2018 BBC documentary Prince, Son and Heir: The Making of a Prince, he paid tribute to his father. Harry spoke about the moment he asked Charles to walk his future wife down the aisle when he was 70 years old: “He immediately said, ‘Yes, of course, I’ll do whatever Meghan needs, and I’m here to support you,’ which I believe he anticipated. That’s a fantastic opportunity for him to step up and provide that support, and as you know, he’s our father, so he’ll be there for us.”