Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex is celebrating her 45th birthday today, and husband Prince Harry and their children are set to make it a special occasion11:33, 04 Aug 2026Meghan Markle is celebrating her 45th birthday today, just weeks after travelling back to the UK for the first time in several years. The Duchess of Sussex has had a busy year with several trips both abroad and around the US for engagements, and will likely be planning a lowkey day at home with her family to mark the milestone birthday.In years past, Meghan has kept her birthday celebrations out of the spotlight, opting to stay in with her husband and children rather than throw a big celebrity bash at her home in California. Now, a friend of the Duchess has shared that this year is no different.‌A source close to Meghan told Hello! Magazine that Meghan wanted to enjoy “a chilled day surrounded by loved ones” for her 45th birthday, adding that once the celebrations are over, she will jump straight back into work.Last year, Meghan - who was born August 4 1981 - posted a photo of herself blowing out candles on a birthday cake as she sat in a Los Angeles restaurant, thanking her fans for their lovely birthday wishes. The Instagram account for her lifestyle brand, As Ever, also shared a birthday message to the Duchess, thanking the founder for a successful year.When Meghan was still a working member of the Royal Family, her birthday would be marked by the Palace, who would post a portrait alongside a sweet birthday message, as they do for all the senior royals.However, it is believed this will be the sixth year that no such message is posted, although former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond told the Mirror that the day may be marked in private by King Charles, as the Sussexes continue to mend their relationship with the King.‌“I doubt if there will be any formal birthday wishes posted for Meghan, but if the King really is in fairly regular contact – as has been suggested – then perhaps there will be a phone call or birthday card,” Jennie said.Meghan has spoken fondly of her birthday in previous years, and once wrote on her now-defunct lifestyle blog The Tig, how she wrote about how she uses her special day to reflect on her life and make wishes about her future, in a tradition that was inspired by her mother Doria.Writing in 2016, she said: "My mom has always said that birthdays are your own personal New Year. Your own chance to make resolutions just for yourself and what you prognosticate for your year ahead."‌And according to the blog, Meghan makes the same wish every time her birthday comes around. She wrote she wanted: "More surprises, more adventure, more opportunities to grow, more days filled with giggles and cheeky jokes, more delicious meals, and more inspiration. Always more inspiration."To celebrate her 40th birthday in 2021, Meghan celebrated in a different way: by launching a new initiative to help women get back to work after the height of the pandemic. However, the project was quietly shelved after it never got off the ground.The project was titled '40x40', with Meghan asking 40 of her famous friends to commit 40 minutes of their time to mentor and support women as they re-entered the workforce. Meghan then hoped to create a domino effect of counselling wider than her circle. But soon after the Archewell campaign went live, there was radio silence from the Duchess of Sussex, and the project was quietly shelved.