Meghan Markle is set to ring in her 37th birthday on Saturday, August 4, her first since becoming a royal.
Instead of a party of her own or a relaxing day at home, the Duchess of Sussex will be attending the wedding of Charlie Van Straubenzee, Prince Harry‘s childhood friend, and his fiancée Daisy Jenks.
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Harry and Van Straubenzee are very close, with Van Straubenzee attending the prince’s own wedding to Markle in May. According to royal photographer Tim Rooke, Harry will be the best man at his friend’s upcoming ceremony.
Unfortunately I will be missing the wedding of Charlie Van Straubenzee and Daisy Jenks where Prince Harry will be best man on August 4th in Churt Surrey as I will be on the beach .Can’t do everything!
— Rookie (@royalfocus1) July 27, 2018
Prince William and Kate Middleton are also reported to be attending the wedding, which will potentially give them the opportunity to celebrate with Markle as well.
Hello! reports that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, were seen heading to the private Caribbean island of Mustique earlier this month, though they are expected to make their way back to the U.K. by the weekend.
Both William and Harry became close to Van Straubenzee when the group attended Ludgrove Prep School in Berkshire as children, and Van Straubenzee is godfather to Princess Charlotte and served as an usher at William’s wedding.
The Sunday Times reports that Van Straubenzee delivered a toast at the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s wedding in May and even got a little good-natured teasing in, joking about Harry being a dorm monitor at school.
“All I wanted was a cuddle from my mummy, instead Harry nicked my teddy bear and chucked it out on to the roof,” he said. “Ladies and gentlemen, I ask you, how can you put someone in charge of a dorm when that someone is worse behaved than the whole dorm combined?”
In addition to Markle’s birthday, August 4 is also the birthday of the late Queen Mum, Queen Elizabeth II‘s mother, so the day has special significance to the reigning monarch. The Queen Mother passed away in 2002 and Saturday will mark what would have been her 118th birthday.
While it’s unclear how Markle’s birthday will be celebrated, Hello! reports that she and Harry are expected to go on holiday in August. Last year, the pair celebrated the former actress’ special day with a safari trip to Africa.
Photo Credit: Getty / Mark Cuthbert
