The Duke of Sussex is expected to receive lavish gifts as he celebrates his 40th birthday on September 15, but one “cold-blooded” item gifted during a winter celebration left the royal “baffled”.
The memorable gift King Charles’s youngest son received one Christmas was marked in his memoir, Spare, released on January 10, 2023.
When the Royal family were getting ready to celebrate Christmas at Sandringham, the late Queen’s sister, “Aunt Margo” presented his nephew with an unusual present.
Prince Harry revealed the present was a tiny biro with a rubber fish wrapped around it. He recalled: “Standing before my pile, I chose to open the smallest present first. The tag said: ‘From Aunt Margo’. I looked over, called out: ‘Thank you, Aunt Margo!'”
But Harry added: “It wasn’t just any biro, she pointed out. It had a tiny rubber fish wrapped around it. I said: ‘Oh. A fish biro! OK.’ I told myself: That is cold-blooded.”
In his memoir, Harry explained how he thought he and Princess Margaret should have been friends as they were “two spares” and had a lot in common.
The Mirror reports how the Duke of Sussex related to the “intense competition” Princess Margaret would have faced with Queen Elizabeth II, similar to himself and Prince William as siblings.
Harry then compared his late mother, Princess Diana, to Princess Margaret. He wrote: “Aunt Margo also wasn’t that dissimilar from Mummy. Both rebels, both labelled as sirens.”
Harry’s birthday celebrations are likely to be extremely different to previous years, as he is said to be heading off on a “lads’ holiday” with his “closest mates” to mark his milestone 40th birthday.
On the day itself, he is reported to have a “low-key” celebration with his wife Meghan Markle and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
A source told Express.co.uk Harry will celebrate his milestone birthday at California’s Montecito Peak. They said: “The Cold Spring Trail has lots of streams and pools which people regularly take a dip in. But there are also lots of snakes and other wildlife to contend with, like large cats.
“Harry and his friends will truly experience the outdoors as they take on one of the long hikes. Let’s hope he’s taking an experienced guide with him.”
They added: “Harry is feeling more and more isolated in California, which is why he has been reconnecting with old friends back home.”
While the exact guest list for the trip is not known, it is unlikely that Harry’s older brother Prince William will be included in the celebrations. The pair’s relationship has grown increasingly strained since Harry stepped down as a working member of the Royal Family in 2020 and eventually relocated to Montecito, California.