Inside Meghan Markle’s ‘toned-down’ 42nd birthday celebrations with Prince Harry – as couple look to stop ‘soap-opera’

MEGHAN Markle will celebrate her 42nd birthday tomorrow, but it’s rumoured she’s opted for a “toned down” affair rather than a glitzy bash.

The Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, 38, plan to celebrate “privately” – after claims earlier this week that they were trying to stop the ‘soap opera’ around them.

PR expert Maya Ria claims the Duchess is likely to prefer a “private affair” with just family and close friends this year.

She told the Daily Record: “[The celebrations] will possibly be quite toned down this year and likely to be a private affair.”

The couple are expected to celebrate with their two young children, Prince Archie, four and Princess Lilli, two.

Meghan’s mum, Doria Ragland is likely to join the pair as she doesn’t live far from the Sussex’s Californian home, reports the Express.

The couple moved to Montecito back in 2020 after exiting the royal family.

Their representative told Us Weekly last year that Meghan spent her 41st birthday surrounded by her loved ones. They said: “The Duchess is enjoying a lovely birthday this year with her family and dear friends.

For her first birthday as a mum back in 2019, Harry and Meghan spent the day in private at their Windsor home, Frogmore Cottage, with their then three-month-old son Archie.

For the event Harry purchased artisan cakes from Luminary, in Meghan’s favourite flavour, carrot cake, reports Hello! Magazine.

While she may not be able to get her favourite cake in LA, some things are likely to stay the same, such as Meghan’s birthday wish tradition.

Writing on her blog, The Tig, back in 2016 she revealed her annual tradition that her mum inspired.

The Duchess wrote: “My mom has always said that birthdays are your own personal New Year. Your own chance to make resolutions just for yourself and what you prognosticate for your year ahead.”

She added: “More surprises, more adventure, more opportunities to grow, more days filled with giggles and cheeky jokes, more delicious meals, and more inspiration. Always more inspiration.”

Earlier this week the couple filmed a video to support the Responsible Technology Youth Power Fund, which saw them call up young tech entrepreneurs.

Judi James, The Celeb Report’s body language expert, revealed they projected themselves as ‘all smiles’ to distance themselves from the latest claims that they are spending time apart.

Judi believes the video only offers subtle hints from the pair to prove the rumours aren’t true.

“If there are deliberate signals from Harry and Meghan in this clip in response to rumours of time apart or diverse career choices they are more ‘tossed salad’ than coherent and comprehensive,” she said.

“Their close proximity signals togetherness.

“Their poses and status-swapping behaviours create the sense of them still pulling as a double act, working together as a team rather than apart on solo gigs.

“Their smiling is emphatic, as though happiness is on their projected tick-list. 

“Just glancing at stills from the clips and the wreathed smiles on display here would announce they are happy and upbeat.

“And chatting to the young leaders they look engaged and excited, like proud parents.”

She added: “They seem keen to focus attention on their cause rather than on any soap-opera potential here and their lack of cute tie-signs.”

“And even Meghan’s choice of neutrals could be an attempt to avoid upstaging the young people they are calling.”

The couple will be making their first public appearance since May at the Invictus Games founded by Prince Harry in Düsseldorf, Germany, this September.

The Duchess will undertake a special role at the games presenting a farewell show for families and competitors at the end of the two weeks.