How Prince Harry has celebrated Meghan Markle’s birthday through the years

The Duchess of Sussex turns 41 on 4 August,The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been together since 2016 and in that time, they’ve treated each other to some special gifts and celebrations on their birthdays.

Meghan is set to mark her 40th birthday on Wednesday 4 August – just a couple of months after giving birth to her and Prince Harry’s second child, Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor.

 

takes a look back at how the Prince has celebrated Meghan’s birthday in previous years…

The couple were set up by a mutual friend in summer 2016 and enjoyed drinks at Soho House’s Dean Street Townhouse London on their first date. For their third date that summer, Harry whisked Meghan away on a surprise trip to Botswana.

Just a year later, the couple returned to the south African country for Meghan’s 36th birthday, where they carried out conservation work with the charity, Elephants Without Borders. The couple were photographed walking together after stepping off a plane at the time, with Harry lovingly placing his arm around his then-girlfriend.

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Just a few months after their romantic getaway, the couple announced their engagement in November 2017. Harry and Meghan married at St George’s Chapel in Windsor the following May and became the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

On Meghan’s 37th birthday – her first as a member of the royal family – she and Harry attended their friend Charlie van Straubenzee and Daisy Jenks’ wedding in Surrey. The Duchess looked stunning in a colour block pastel midi dress from Club Monaco with a black Philip Treacy hat and Aquazzura heels for the occasion.

For Meghan’s 38th birthday in 2019, the Duke shared a photo of his wife wearing a blue Veronica Beard dress during their royal visit to Tonga in 2018, on their now-inactive Sussex Royal Instagram account. He wrote: “Wishing HRH The Duchess of Sussex a very Happy Birthday. ‘Happy Birthday to my amazing wife. Thank you for joining me on this adventure!’ – Love, H.”

 

It was an extra-special birthday for Meghan as it was her first one as a mum. The couple spent the day in private at their Windsor home, Frogmore Cottage, with their then three-month-old son Archie. HELLO! exclusively revealed at the time that the Duchess’ birthday cake was supplied by the Luminary Bakery. The tiered carrot cake was beautifully decorated with dried oranges and garnishes, with “Happy Birthday Meghan” written in chocolate icing.

A few days later, the couple reportedly flew to Ibiza for a private family holiday.

Meghan celebrated her 39th birthday quietly last year with her husband and her son at their Montecito home in Santa Barbara, that they had just moved to.No doubt the Sussexes will have a special family celebration for Meghan’s 40th next week!