Prince Harry's friend lifts lid on reason Duke is 'really sad' after Lilibet's birthday

Prince Harry's friend has claimed that the Duke is "really sad" because his children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet are not able to have a relationship with their cousins.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex recently held a birthday party for Lilibet as she turned three on Tuesday.

According to reports, the party was comprised of close friends and family at Harry and Meghan's Montecito mansion.

Royal expert Tom Quinn provided some insight, claiming that Hollywood heavyweight Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom were in attendance with their daughter Daisy.

Speaking to The Mirror, Mr Quinn also shed light on how Prince Harry is rueing the fact that Archie and Lilibet are unable to bond with their family in the UK.

READ MORE: Archie and Lilibet could be called into action as Firm 'hanging by a thread'

He said of the party: "Rather than go for a low-key celebration Harry and Meghan have spent the past weekend enjoying a pre-birthday bash for their daughter Lillibet's third birthday – hugely expensive presents have been ruled out but the couple's mansion in California was awash with celebrities including Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom and their daughter Daisy who is just a few months older than Lilibet.

"Shockingly no invitations to Lilibet's party were issued to members of the Royal Family.

"One of Harry's old army friends said: 'Harry knew they wouldn't come anyway and he was pretty sure he would not have wanted them there.

"But he is really sad that Archie and Lilibet cannot have any kind of relationship with their cousins while his feud with his family continues'."

Royal experts have claimed that, while Harry would be open to a return to the UK, Meghan is certain she wants to remain elsewhere.

Speaking to The Sun’s Royal Exclusive show, expert Phil Dampier said a recent event showed just how determined Meghan was to leave the UK in her past.

Meghan traveled to the UK to meet with Harry before they headed off to Nigeria for their tour in May.

Mr Dampier said: “He had the opportunity to recently, didn't he, on his way to the Invictus Games event and Nigeria, Meghan didn’t want to know.

“That’s twice now that she's just stopped off at the airport at Heathrow, I think in the lounge there.

“She clearly thinks that she's unpopular in this country.

“I don't think she wants to come back to this country.

“It wouldn't surprise me if she never came back to this country, to be honest.

“And I think that's where we are, it's very, very sad.”