Prince William’s Birthday-Day Engagement Draws Attention as Prince Harry Turns 42
Prince William spent Prince Harry’s 42nd birthday carrying out a major public engagement in Princetown, Devon, where he launched a new £250,000 community fund — while his younger brother celebrated the milestone with Meghan Markle and their children.
The Prince of Wales visited the Dartmoor village on Tuesday, September 15, meeting residents, community leaders and local organisations as he unveiled the Princetown Community Fund.
The timing inevitably drew attention because the engagement took place on Harry’s birthday, and it was also the Duke of Sussex’s first birthday in the UK for several years following his family’s return from California.
Rather than being a birthday appearance of his own, William’s visit was part of his official duties as Duke of Cornwall. The new fund will provide at least £250,000 for locally led projects designed to deliver social, economic and environmental benefits to Princetown.
William focuses on Princetown community
During the visit, William met people from across the village and toured Gather & Moor, a community, visitor and cultural hub created at the former Dartmoor National Park Visitor Centre.
He also visited the Princetown Youth Club, which has received support from the Duchy of Cornwall to improve its facilities.
The Prince tried his hand at traditional letterpress printing during a stop at Princetown Press. According to the original report, he produced a broadsheet and joked about his work, saying: “There we go, excellent, and it’s spelled correctly!”
Admiring the freshly printed page, he added: “What’s so lovely is how crisp each letter is.”
William was also photographed meeting an alpaca during the visit.
The community fund is part of a wider decision involving income generated by Dartmoor Prison. Earlier this year, William asked for the annual rent from the prison to be redirected rather than personally benefiting him through Duchy of Cornwall income. The prison has been empty since 2024, and the redirected money is now being used to support regeneration in the surrounding community.
The wider funding arrangement involves around £1.5 million in annual prison rent, with at least £250,000 being made available through the new Princetown fund. The grants will support projects developed by local people and organisations, with Devon Communities Together administering the community grants programme.
Harry celebrates his 42nd birthday with Meghan and their children
While William was in Devon, Harry marked his 42nd birthday with Meghan, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
Meghan shared a birthday tribute on Instagram, describing her husband as “simply the best.” The montage featured intimate family moments involving Harry and their children, including outdoor activities and affectionate scenes between the couple.
The birthday celebrations continued on Instagram Stories, where Meghan shared footage of Harry driving through the countryside.
The images came shortly after the Sussex family returned to Britain following six years living in California. Their move has placed the family back in the UK at a significant moment, with Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5, now beginning school in Britain while the couple retain their Montecito home and property in Portugal.
Harry’s 42nd birthday was therefore also his first since the family’s return to the UK, adding another layer of attention to the day.
Uganda reverses Invictus Games withdrawal
Harry also received significant professional news shortly before his birthday.
Uganda announced that it would rejoin the 2027 Invictus Games after initially withdrawing from the competition.
The reversal followed contact between King Charles III’s principal private secretary, Sir Clive Alderton, and Uganda’s military leadership. According to PEOPLE, the conversation clarified that the King did not object to Uganda taking part in the Games.
The earlier withdrawal had followed palace guidance reiterating that Harry and Meghan are private citizens and no longer working members of the Royal Family. Uganda subsequently reconsidered its position after the clarification from the King’s office.
The 2027 Invictus Games are scheduled to take place in Birmingham, meaning the event will bring Harry’s signature veterans’ competition back to Britain.
For Harry, the development came as he prepared to celebrate his birthday in the country where he was born. For William, September 15 was spent on official duties in Devon, launching a fund intended to put money generated by the Duchy of Cornwall toward the future of a local community.
