The Cambridges Missing Lilibet's Birthday Felt Like a "Kick in the Teeth" to the Sussexes, Source Says

Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor of Sussex turned one on the Saturday of the Queen's Jubilee weekend, and her parents Prince Harry and Meghan Markle threw her a lovely birthday party at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor. They also very kindly shared an adorable picture of the little girl with us all to mark the occasion.

But the day wasn't all sunshine and rainbows: Of the people who couldn't attend, it was Prince William and Kate Middleton's absence at the party that cut the deepest, according to one source close to the Duke of Sussex.

"It was a kick in the teeth that the Cambridges didn’t attend," the source told Heat. "For Meghan, it just strengthened her resolve to not come back."

As previously reported, the Cambridges were scheduled to visit Wales on that day in advance, and they couldn't exactly skip that visit. One source told Entertainment Tonight post-Jubilee, "It's simply a coincidence they fell on the same day. There was no intended slight."

With that said, we do know how tense relations have been between the two royal couples since the Sussexes left their royal duties in early 2020, so even though they physically couldn't attend, it's easy to hypothesize that the Cambridges also didn't want to attend. I can see how that would be really difficult.

Their reception by the Royal Family as a whole was frosty at best, which Heat's source also commented on. "Harry and Meghan knew there would be awkward moments, but they had no idea how hostile the reception would be," they said.

They added, "Being ridiculed like that was very hard for Harry to take.

"He tries not to read the negative things written about them, but there was no avoiding it. They’ve been accused of milking their fame and being money-hungry. There were plenty of cheers for them, too, but they know some of the public didn’t want them to come back for the Jubilee and that was really hurtful."