‘Whatever the age, my mission is to..,’ Prince Harry to celebrate 40th birthday with family and close friends

Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, who turns 40 on Sunday, plans to celebrate the milestone privately with his wife Meghan Markle and their two young children, Prince Archie, five, and Princess Lilibet, three, at their home in Montecito.

Following the family celebration, he is expected to go on a 'lads' getaway with some close friends, while Meghan, 43, will stay behind to look after the children, The Mirror reported.

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In a recent statement given to BBC News, Harry said, “I was anxious about 30, I'm excited about 40. [...] Whatever the age, my mission is to continue showing up and doing good in the world.”

For Harry’s 30th birthday, William and Kate had arranged an intimate dinner with royal cousins Princesses Beatrice, Eugenie, and Zara Tindall, along with close friends, to be held at Kensington Palace.

However, Princess Kate, who was pregnant with her second child, Princess Charlotte, was dealing with Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), a severe form of morning sickness. Given that Kate, whom Harry referred to as 'the sister I've never had' in his memoir Spare, was unwell, Harry chose to postpone the celebration to ensure she could be present.

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At the time, a source told the Mirror: “Harry was in no doubt that the party should be postponed, even though 30 is an important milestone. Kate had been very involved in organising Harry's party, and once she fell ill he felt it wrong to let the event go ahead.”

According to another report in Vanity Fair, however, the party later went ahead.

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According to The Sun, after celebrating his actual birthday with family, Harry will embark on a trip with some of his 'closest pals,' while Meghan stays home with their children. Although the exact location of the trip has not been revealed, PEOPLE magazine, reported that Harry will have a 'gathering of close friends from around the world.' Among his close circle is polo-playing friend Nacho Figueras.