Prince Harry turns 42 in Britain with work, friends and family tribute
Prince Harry turned 42 in Britain on Tuesday, 15 September, working through the morning before a late lunch with friends.
A source told HELLO! that was how he spent the day, combining work with time with family and friends. The birthday falls about a month after his return to the United Kingdom after six years living in the United States. HELLO!’s Royal Editor Emily Nash said he will be delighted to be spending his birthday back in the UK.
The return had been trailed since early July, when Reuters reported on 3 July that he was due back in Britain the next week. Prince Harry was born on 15 September 1984. His son Archie was seven and his daughter Lilibet was five at the time of reporting on the family’s return to the UK, according to the BBC.
It is a busy birthday week. Prince Harry was set to attend the WellChild Awards, for which HELLO! is a media partner. He was also set to attend the inaugural Invictus Spirit Awards and the launch of INSPIRE, a new education programme for the Invictus Games Birmingham 2027. He was announced as a featured participant at the Clinton Global Initiative meeting in New York City in September 2026.
Meghan Markle marked the day with a video tribute on her personal Instagram. The post included unseen images of Archie and Lilibet. She also confirmed that the family’s pet dog Pula had joined them in the UK.
There was no public message from Buckingham Palace. King Charles was not expected to publicly congratulate Prince Harry on his 42nd birthday, according to HELLO!. Since Prince Harry stepped back from royal duties in 2020, his birthday was publicly acknowledged by the royal family’s official accounts in 2020, 2021 and 2024. There was no royal family birthday post in 2025.
Prince William arrived in Devon on the day Prince Harry turned 42. Royal experts told Fox News that Prince Harry would probably celebrate turning 42 privately with Meghan and their children in the British countryside.
For fans, this means a low-key birthday with a full diary. Work in the morning. Lunch with friends. Family at home.
