Prince Harry Once 'Called off a Huge Birthday Bash' Last Minute — It Was Because of Kate Middleton

So much has changed in a decade for Prince Harry. The Duke of Sussex turned 40 years old on September 15, 2024, and rang in his birthday with his wife Meghan Markle, and his kids followed by a boy's trip. However, a decade ago, he had to cancel a lavish 30th birthday bash 'last minute' planned by his brother, Prince William, and sister-in-law Kate Middleton because of the Princess. William and Middleton had invited close pals and family members, including Royal cousins Princesses Beatrice, Eugenie, and Zara Tindall, to the intimate bash at Kensington Palace. 

But, unfortunately, the Duke of Sussex canceled the bash keeping in mind his sister-in-law's morning sickness that turned severe as she was expecting her second child Princess Charlotte at the time. A palace source confirmed to The Mirror that during her second pregnancy, the Princess of Wales was quite sick, and Harry didn't want the bash to go on without her. "Harry was in no doubt that the party should be postponed, even though 30 is an important milestone. Kate had been very involved in organizing Harry's party, and once she fell ill he felt it wrong to let the event go ahead." 

However, Harry did celebrate his three-decade milestone albeit at Clarence House instead of Kensington Palace. As Vanity Fair reported, a dinner party was hosted for the Duke, with his 30 closest pals, including his ex-girlfriend, Cressida Bonas, who flew down to London for the Invictus Games closing ceremony along with a bunch of Harry's school friends. 

Though Middleton was still under the weather, sources said that her sister Pipa Middleton and Harry's close friend arranged for the 30th birthday bash to be a memorable moment. Meanwhile, his father King Charles sent over boxes of Highgrove champagne and Claret and made his own contribution to the birthday boy's celebration. The party reportedly had a white, ski-themed nightclub theme going on with Harry's favorite dishes, desserts, and cocktails on the menu. 

A decade later, life turned upside down for Harry, who is now married to his love, Meghan Markle, and is a father to two kids, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. The once close-knit royal family succumbed to an ugly rift that blew in the press. Both Harry and Markle bashed 'the Firm' in the media, alleging mistreatment of the Suits star and indirectly calling them racist. 

The wounds grew deeper and Harry decided to step down from his working royal status. He left the UK and began a new life with Markle in Montecito, California, citing privacy reasons. Predictably, this year marked a simpler, more intimate celebration for the Duke in the United States and away from the royal family amid the ongoing rift, reported PEOPLE. 

While the royal family was noticeably absent from Harry's 40th birthday celebrations, they sent him birthday wishes on their X, formerly Twitter account, captioning, "Wishing a Happy 40th Birthday to The Duke of Sussex!" along with his photograph.