A Sister-in-Law's Touch: Kate Middleton Called 'Homesick' Prince Harry and Helped Write Palace's Birthday Message to Rebel Duke

Catherine, Princess of Wales, truly has royalty's ancient "healing touch" thanks to her "selfless" act of reaching out to Prince Harry on his 40th birthday, September 15. This is despite the rebel Duke "disparaging her character" more than once in his explosive 2023 memoir, Spare.

Reports show that Her Royal Highness called the "homesick" prince on his big day before playing a major role in ensuring he received official palace congratulations.

An insider source spilled that Catherine "slowly makes good on her vow to restore some kind of peace and forgiveness between the estranged royal and his family before it's too late."

Sources near Team Sussex in Montecito, Calif., also shared how the fifth in line to the British throne appreciated his semi-estranged sister-in-law's efforts with the message.

The royal source added, "She (Kate) told William in no uncertain terms that this is not the time for resentment, they needed to show the world that love and family are front and center of their values, but more importantly she wanted Harry to have this message on his big day."

But getting the heir to the throne on board with the world seeing his office sending his estranged brother a message of congrats on his behalf "was hard work."

"My gut feeling is that Catherine was influential in this slight softening of her husband's implacable stand," veteran royal reporter Jennie Bond shared.

"In the film she made about the end of her chemotherapy, she told how cancer had given her a new perspective," she added. "What clearly matters to her more now is family, loving, and being loved. Perhaps she has persuaded William that life is too short for grudges."

After nearly two years of reported no contact between the two embattled royal brothers, the Prince of Wales agreed to allow this "milestone" message to go forward. No further well-wishes or communication have developed from the sender or receiver since then. Amid a flurry of reactions after the message appeared out of nowhere and unexpectedly, Bond cautions against those jumping to conclusions.

"Birthday wishes posted on the main royal family website are also a sign of a possible thaw in relations between Harry and his father," the expert observed. "But this is only a tentative first step in a complex and sensitive situation. I still think the brothers’ relationship is almost irretrievable."

One royal insider feels that the message, which did not happen in 2022 or 2023, nor did Harry wish William a happy 40th in June 2022, was likely due to the California transplant's big day indeed being a milestone.

"When His Majesty came to the throne, he changed rules stating that only senior working royals get social media congratulatory messages. But this was a milestone for Harry, and formality changes then. Why on earth would they wish him a random happy birthday but totally ignore the Sussex children's birthdays year after year?" a palace insider revealed.

NDTV reported on the insider revelations.