Prince Harry Is Not Celebrating 38th Birthday as He Mourns Queen Elizabeth's Death

Harry turned 38 on Thursday, a week after his grandmother died. She was 96.

Prince Harry turned 38 on Thursday but don't expect the Duke of Sussex to commemorate the occasion publicly, if at all, following Queen Elizabeth II's death.

A source close to the royal family tells ET that the family is in a one-month period of mourning and Harry is not expected to do anything to mark the day, except spend it privately. Her Majesty died one week before Harry's birthday, and since then a number of events have taken place and will continue taking place, culminating with Elizabeth's state funeral scheduled for Monday at 6 a.m. ET.

The news that Harry will keep things quiet comes following an emotional day for Harry and the rest of the royal family after Elizabeth's coffin was taken from Buckingham Palace for a procession through the streets of London before arriving at Westminster Hall. Once inside, the entire royal family -- from King Charles IIIPrince William, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward to Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle -- made their way inside for the Service for the Reception of Her Majesty's Coffin.

In a touching moment, Harry was seen wiping away tears as he honored his late grandmother. The queen's coffin will lie in state at Westminster Abbey until the funeral. 

Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

At that Service for the Reception, Harry was not allowed to wear his military uniform. He was also not allowed to salute the coffin, like Charles, William and other royal family members did. It's largely due to the fact that Harry stepped down as a senior member of the royal family in 2020, forcing Harry to relinquish his honorary military appointments. That being said, a spokesperson for Harry released a statement about his reaction to not being allowed to wear his uniform despite his decade of service. 

"Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex, will wear a mourning suit throughout events honoring his grandmother," the statement read. "His decade of military service is not determined by the uniform he wears, and we respectfully ask that focus remain on the life and legacy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II."

Despite the fact Harry and Meghan had been mostly estranged from the royal family since their departure in 2020, they've nevertheless been a constant presence in various events honoring the late queen.

For starters, Harry and Meghan joined William and Kate at a walkabout over the weekend outside of Windsor Castle to view floral arrangements in honor of Elizabeth. Afterward, the four of them greeted mourners lined up outside the royal residence. The day lent for a tender moment between Meghan and a teen girl, who hugged the Duchess of Sussex

Harry and Meghan also joined the rest of the royal family at Buckingham Palace, where they received the coffin after traveling by hearse from the airport and through the streets of London. 

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