Meghan Markle posts cryptic birthday message as Queen Camilla celebrates turning 78

As the Queen celebrates her 78th birthday, Meghan Markle shared a mysterious birthday message on Instagram, which some believe may have been a directed at Camilla

As Queen Camilla celebrates her 78th birthday today, her estranged daughter-in-law Meghan Markle has posted a cryptic birthday message on social media. Taking to her Instagram stories, Meghan posted a video of her unboxing a crate of three bottles of wine from her lifestyle brand As Ever.

Alongside the video, Meghan wrote: “Sending birthday love (both near and far) to my ladies,” alongside a heart emoji. While it is unclear exactly who Meghan was sending the bottles of wine to, many have speculated the message was intended for the Queen. Meghan is believed to have bonded with Camilla when she first joined the royal fold, having a love of the arts and wine.

But despite their early bond, it appears that things may have turned sour for the two women – and one major flashpoint came when a move by Meghan that saw her allegedly break a pledge left that is said to have left Camilla very upset.

It came five years ago when the Mirror revealed that Meghan had insisted photos of her at a theatre appeared on the day as the then Duchess of Cornwall gave an important address. Camilla gave a speech on the 10th anniversary of the Women of the World Festival in London which had been nearly a year in the planning.

It was said that Meghan had promised not to overshadow Camilla’s vital campaign against abuse – but then pictures of her on a private visit to the National Theatre were published the very same day as the landmark speech.

Meghan’s cryptic message comes as in celebration of Camilla’s birthday, the Palace released a new portrait of Camilla, sending well wishes for her big day. A photo also surfaced online of Queen Camilla when she was a child, sparking wholesome reactions from a flood of royal fans. The throwback snap got people talking online, as many remarked on how different the Queen looked in her childhood.

A social media user took to X to share the photo, which they captioned: “A young Queen Camilla.” Commenting, one person wrote: “Too adorable for words.” Another chimed in: “I don’t think I’ve ever seen childhood photos of her. She was adorable,” while a third agreed: “Wow…. She was a cutie.” Another admirer added: “Awww, she’s cute.”

Camilla was born on July 17, 1947, at King’s College Hospital London, and spent her childhood living in Sussex. She first attended Drumbrell’s School in Ditchling before continuing her education at the prestigious Queen’s Gate School in South Kensington. Camilla left Queen’s Gate at the age of 16 and attended Mon Fertile School in Switzerland and the Institut Britannique in Paris before beginning her working life in London.

The Queen met her husband, King Charles, at a polo match in 1970 through a mutual friend. However, their courtship was short-lived and Camilla instead went on to marry Andrew Parker Bowles, an officer in the Household Calvary, in 1973 and remained together until 1995.

After marrying in 1981, Prince Charles and Princess Diana divorced in 1996 – a year before the then-Princess of Wales’ tragic death. It wasn’t until 2005, nearly 10 years later, that King Charles and Queen Camilla tied the knot. The cryptic birthday post from Meghan Markle comes amid rumours of a reconciliation between the royal family and the Sussexes.

Last week, senior aides to both King Charles and Prince Harry were spotted having drinks and conversing at London’s Royal Over-Seas League which sits just three minutes from Clarence House.

The meeting has prompted many to wonder if the aides had been discussing a possible meeting between the King and Harry, when he is due to visit the UK in September. However, no representatives for William, who also has an extremely rocky relationship with his brother, were at the meeting.

Harry recently made public his desire to bury the hatchet with his family, saying in a tell-all interview with the BBC in May that he “would love a reconciliation” with the King and William, as he admitted that he was tired of fighting, and he worried about Charles’ health because he did “not know how much longer [his] father has.” In the interview, the Duke even said: “I would like to get my father and brother back.”