Kate's message 'loud and clear'

As the Prince and Princess of Wales remain silent on Prince Harry's birthday, an expert tells new this signals they are not ready to reconcile

- Leo Roberts

The Duke of Sussex may have thawed the ice with his father, King Charles, but when it comes to the Princess of Wales, relations still appear decidedly frosty. And nothing showed that more than Kate's silence on Harry's birthday last week.

Prince Harry turned 41 on 15 September, just days after his historic meeting with his father at Clarence House - their first face-to-face chat in 19 months. While their get-together lasted just 54 minutes, it has been seen as a major step forward in rebuilding royal bridges.

But there are no signs of a reconciliation between Harry and his brother or sister-in-law - and royal expert Duncan Larcombe believes their lack of public acknowledgement of his big day is a sure sign they're still smarting from his past wrongdoings. "Kate's silence spoke a thousand words," Duncan tells new. "They didn't post anything on his birthday, which the royals normally would do. So Kate's message was loud and clear: the ball's not in our court, Harry - it's in yours."

Duncan adds that, due to strict royal protocol, the couple can only make their feelings known with subtle signals. In this case, it seems their silence did the talking. "Neither Kate, nor William, can speak out publicly about Harry and Meghan," he explains. "They have kept silent throughout all of this and rolled with all the punches, so they're forced into subtle, secret messaging - which is what this seems to be.

"They're not prepared to call Harry's bluff by sending him joyful birthday wishes, so they remain silent and avoid him at all costs."