Prince William and King Charles Wish Prince Harry Happy 40th Birthday with a throwback picture in Surprise Gesture amid Ongoing Rift

The celebratory posts are unprecedented given that public birthday wishes are reserved for working royals and, given the ongoing rift between Harry and his brother and his strained relationship with his father, many are viewing the first birthday messages in two years as an olive branch from the King and the Prince of Wales.

In July, sources told PEOPLE that Harry’s calls and letters to King Charles, go unanswered, and his attempts to connect with Prince William — through texts, calls, and messages — were similarly ignored. However, while the royal insider noted that the rift with Prince William was “very bad,” they added that it was not “irreparable.

RELATED: Prince Harry and Prince William’s Rift Is ‘Very Bad’ but Not ‘Irreparable,’ Royal Insider Says (Exclusive) The brothers last presented a united front with their wives, Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle,  after Queen Elizabeth’s death in September 2022, when they met mourners outside Windsor Castle At the coronation of King Charles in May 2023, Harry stayed on the sidelines and sat two rows behind William and his family.

At the time, Meghan remained in the U.S. for their eldest child Prince Archie’s birthday. Can’t get enough of PEOPLE’s Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! When Prince Harry returned to the U.K. in May 2024 for the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games, he did not meet with either the King or Prince William. At the time, the Duke of Sussex’s spokesperson attributed the lack of interaction between Harry and the King to the sovereign’s “full schedule.”  Meanwhile, PEOPLE understands Harry will mark his 40th birthday on Sunday, September 15th, with a private celebration in Montecito, surrounded by family and friends.