Prince Harry and Meghan Markle invited Prince William, Kate Middleton and their children to Lilibet’s first birthday party as an olive branch — but the family did not attend, Page Six is told.
Amid the brothers’ ongoing fractious relationship, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex asked the Cambridges to join them at their UK home, Frogmore Cottage, in Windsor, on Saturday.
But the Cambridges and two of their three children, Prince George, 8, and Princess Charlotte, 7, were in Wales for the day taking part in Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
And as Page Six previously reported would happen, the Sussexes left without spending any solo time with William, Kate and the mini Cambridges — and their kids, Archie, 3, and Lili, didn’t get to see their cousins.
One UK-based royal insider said: “Things are still fraught — William is still wary of spending any time alone with Harry as you never quite know what may be reported back afterwards.”
The Sussexes quietly left the UK on Sunday — before the People’s Pageant kicked off — and flew home to California.
We’re told this was always pre-planned and in no way a snub to the queen, who made one final and highly emotional appearance on Sunday, at the end of the celebrations on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.
However, the Cambridges did wish Lili a happy birthday on Instagram, as did the rest of the royal family. The Twitter account for the royals posted a balloon emoji and the message: “Wishing Lilibet a very Happy 1st Birthday!”.
Her grandfather, Prince Charles, and his wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, also posted a message, while Lili got to meet her great-grandmother twice during her UK visit.
And the Sussexes — who attended two of the Jubilee events — did spend Lili’s birthday with a party at home as relatives popped in and out.
As The Sun reported, Zara and Mike Tindall’s children Mia, 8, Lena, 3, and Lucas, one, were all expected at the bash, along with Peter Phillips and Autumn Kelly’s daughters Savannah, 11, and Isla, 10.
Other anticipated guests included Archie’s godfather Charlie Van Straubenzee, and his brother Tom, who is Princess Charlotte’s godfather.
It was Lili’s first visit to the UK, and her brother’s first trip back since the family quit Harry’s homeland for the US in March 2020.
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