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Prince Harry celebrated his 40th birthday weekend by attending a charity tennis tournament in honour of one of his wife Meghan Markle’s closest friends.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex appeared at the George Zajfen Tennis Tournament in Los Angeles on Saturday in honour of Kelly McKee Zajfen’s late son George.
The event for the Alliance for Children’s Rights was in remembrance of George, who died aged just nine in July 2022 after being found unresponsive in their family home.
Meghan is known to be good friends with Zajfen, co-founder of the alliance which supports pregnant and parenting teenagers in the foster care system in Los Angeles.
In an Instagram post yesterday, the day of Harry’s birthday, model Zajfen and her family thanked the Sussexes for their support at the competition on Saturday.
Alongside five photos, they wrote at the end of a long message: ‘Extra special day too…HAPPY 40th Birthday H! May this trip around the sun be the best yet.’
Other stars in attendance at the tournament included Property Brothers star Jonathan Scott, New Girl actress Zooey Deschanel, Scrubs actor Zach Braff and Meghan’s friend and former Suits colleague Abigail Spencer, reported People.
(From left) Meghan Markle, Kelly McKee Zajfen, her husband Julian and Prince Harry attend the George Zajfen Tennis Tournament in Los Angeles on Saturday, a day before the Duke’s birthday
(From left) Meghan Markle, Kelly McKee Zajfen, her daughter Lily, her husband Julian and Prince Harry at the George Zajfen Tennis Tournament in Los Angeles on Saturday
Harry hugs Kelly McKee Zajfen and Meghan hugs Julian at the tennis tournament on Saturday
The pictures in the post showed the Duke and Duchess posing with the Zajfen family — with Harry wearing a T-shirt and blazer, and Meghan wearing a tan dress.
The Zajfen family wrote that it was an ‘incredible day – full of emotions and lots of love’ and the funds raised would ‘go directly to supporting children in foster care, ensuring they have the legal protections, resources and opportunities they deserve in honour of our beautiful son Georgie’.
Their post continued: ‘Our community showed up in a big way and I’m in awe! Get ready for days of posting images of this magical afternoon because I have so many people to thank and shout from the roof tops just how amazing you all are!
‘But first, to our presenting sponsors, the Archewell Foundation. Harry and Meghan, you have been such a guiding light for our family not just in the way you have shown up in friendship but how you have shown up through the incredible work the Archewell Foundation does every day.
Meghan hugs her close friend Kelly McKee Zajfen at the charity tennis tournament on Saturday
Alex Romain (left), chair of the Alliance for Children’s Rights, joins Meghan (centre), Kelly McKee Zajfen (second right) and Prince Harry (far right) at the tournament on Saturday
Kelly McKee Zajfen and her family wished Harry a happy 40th birthday in their Instagram post
‘I’m in awe of your commitment to community and to friendship. On behalf of the Alliance for Children’s Rights, we thank you. On behalf of our family, we love you.’
The tournament, which has been held for 20 years but was recently renamed in honour of George, featured a round-robin doubles competition and a lunch.
The Duchess has supported Zajfen through grief since George died – and Zajfen has previously described Meghan as an ‘incredible friend and mother’, adding that she is ‘always the first to say yes and support those you love’.
Harry, who lives in California after stepping down from the working monarchy, spent his birthday yesterday with Meghan and their children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
He is then said to be heading away for a gathering with close friends.
It comes as Prince William and Kate wished Harry a happy 40th birthday in a message on social media.
The George Zajfen Tennis Tournament was in honour of Kelly McKee Zajfen’s late son George
George Zajfen, pictured with his mother Kelly McKee Zajfen, died aged just nine in July 2022
The Prince and Princess of Wales shared an earlier post from the Royal Family on X and added their own message, which read: ‘Wishing a Happy 40th Birthday to The Duke of Sussex!’
Some will see the post as a surprise move given the unresolved tensions between the brothers. Their estrangement has shown no sign of abating, with the duke also having a strained relationship with his father, the King.
A post from the Royal Family account earlier yesterday marked the first public birthday message for Harry since 2021. A post shared on X said simply: ‘Wishing The Duke of Sussex a very happy 40th birthday today!’
The message was also accompanied by a picture of a smiling Harry and an emoji of a birthday cake.
The picture chosen of Harry – taken when he was a working royal in 2018 – was shot during a visit to a start-up in Dublin with Meghan next to him. But she was cropped out, seemingly by the original photographer at the time.
Meghan has supported Kelly McKee Zajfen (together, file image) since her son George died
Harry enters his fifth decade in what has been a rollercoaster year for the royal family, with both the King and the Princess of Wales being diagnosed with cancer.
When the King’s shock health news was announced in February, Harry made a transatlantic dash to see him but his meeting with his father was kept to just 45 minutes.
In comments released to the BBC, the duke said ‘I was anxious about 30, I’m excited about 40’, and described how fatherhood had given him a renewed sense of purpose to make ‘this world a better place’.
Harry’s year has seen him try his hand at the skeleton bobsled when he joined Invictus Games competitors training in Canada, and undertake quasi-royal tours to Colombia and Nigeria.
In Colombia, Meghan addressed a panel on Afro-Descendant Women and Power and told how her three-year-old daughter Lili had ‘absolutely found her voice’.
Prince Harry received a happy 40th birthday message from Prince William and Kate yesterday
The official X account of the Royal Family earlier also posted a birthday greeting to the Duke
The couple also relaunched their Archewell website, rebranding it as Sussex.com under the title The Office of Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
Harry travelled to London in May to celebrate a decade of his Invictus Games and attended a service at St Paul’s Cathedral, but did not meet his brother or father.
Birmingham has won the bid to host the sporting competition in 2027, with the duke congratulating the city on its success and looking set to attend the games in the UK in three years’ time.
In July, Harry received the Pat Tillman Award for Service, awarded by sports channel ESPN to individuals in the sporting world, for using his platform to ‘change the world’.
But Tillman’s mother Mary reportedly expressed her shock that the honour was given to ‘such a controversial and divisive individual’.
The picture chosen of Harry – taken when he was a working royal in 2018 – was shot during a visit to a start-up in Dublin with Meghan next to him. Pictured: The original photo
In his speech, Harry praised Mrs Tillman, saying: ‘Her advocacy for Pat’s legacy is deeply personal and one that I respect. The bond between a mother and son is eternal and transcends even the greatest losses.’
Meanwhile, The Sunday Times reported that his legal battle with the Home Office over his security while in the UK had ‘frustrated’ the King.
Harry lost a High Court challenge against the Home Office in February over a decision to change the level of his personal security when he visits the UK, but he has been given the green light to appeal.
During the case, the court was told Harry believes his children cannot ‘feel at home’ in the UK if it is ‘not possible to keep them safe’ there and that he faces a greater risk than his late mother, with ‘additional layers of racism and extremism’.
Elsewhere, Meghan started a new venture with the soft launch of her brand American Riviera Orchard when she sent limited edition strawberry jam to her friends – although the business has faced setbacks with its attempts at trademarking.
Prince Harry with his wife Meghan Markle and their two children Archie and Lilibet in 2021
Harry’s new Netflix documentary series about the world of polo is set to air in December.
There was a brief return to the UK for the duke in August for the funeral of his uncle Lord Fellowes, when he stayed at Althorp, the ancestral home of his late mother Diana, Princess of Wales.
He reportedly had no interaction with William at the church service.
The duke has an upcoming trip to New York later this month, where he will carry out visits for his Archewell Foundation, and engagements with African Parks, The Halo Trust, The Diana Award, and Travalyst.
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