Meghan Markle and Prince Harry wished Prince William a happy birthday on Instagram, but some people think it was too formal
- People think the comment left by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Instagram account for Prince William's birthday was too "formal."
- The account left a comment reading, "Happy Birthday to The Duke of Cambridge!"
- While some thought the birthday greeting was "odd," others pointed out that it was likely left by a member of their staff.
- The "formal" message comes after rumors of a royal rift between the two couples.
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Prince William and Kate Middleton's Instagram account posted a photo in honor of the Duke of Cambridge's 37th birthday on Friday, and people are reading into the comment left by Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's account.
"Happy Birthday to The Duke of Cambridge!" the comment left by the sussexroyal account reads.
Though it may seem like a simple birthday greeting to some, many commenters say the message was too "formal" to come from a family member.
"This seems like an odd way to pay tribute to Prince William on his birthday; by leaving a really basic comment like everyone else," one commenter wrote while another added, "It's your own brother, why the need to be so formal?"
Others pointed out that the comment was "most likely from their staff" and not indicative of their relationship.
Markle and Harry's account faced the opposite problem while leaving Prince Louis a birthday message in April. Some people thought Markle and Harry were too casual and broke royal protocol for calling the 1-year-old "Louis" instead of "Prince Louis."
Their birthday greeting to William comes after reports of a rift between the two couples began circulating in November 2018. Later, in March 2019, reports of tension between the couples resurfaced after Markle and Harry split from Kensington Palace to establish their own household in the royal family, which included setting up their own Instagram account and establishing their own staff separate from William and Middleton's.
Markle and Harry also recently stepped down from their joint charity venture with William and Middleton, The Royal Foundation, in order to focus on their own charity.
While many have speculated that there is tension between the two couples, BBC royal commentator Kristen Meinzer previously told INSIDER that the split in charities and households is "natural."
"I think it's perfectly natural for a future monarch to have charities that are exclusively their own," she told INSIDER's Mikhaila Friel. "Also, Will and Kate are not completely severing ties with Harry and Meghan. The four of them will still be working on other charitable projects together like Heads Together."
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