So, it's your one of your close friends or close family members birthdays... You've probably already got them a little bit of something, but if you've not bothered with a card, a safe substitute is usually a post on the Instagram grid. It shows them - and your mates, plus random followers - that you care. And it's usually an excuse to share some cute throwback pics.
But could this all be about to change?
Today is the Duchess of Sussex's 40th birthday - happy birthday Meghan! - and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have decided to mark the occasion in a slightly different way than last year. Instead of posting a photo on the grid of their sister-in-law, they have instead opted to post a pic of Meghan to their stories, with a simple one-sentence caption wishing her a happy birthday. Whereas last year, the Cambridges shared a sweet photo of Meghan and a little girl on to their grid, as you can see below.
We're not suggesting that it's any bad blood at all - but are Instagram stories now the new home of all birthday wishes? We think so, as The Royal Family's official account has also done the same, instead opting for a story post too, with some adorable pics ofMeghan and Harry with their son Archie.
It's thought that this year Harry and Meghan - who gave birth to daughter Lilibet Diana in June - are enjoying a very relaxed day at their home in Montecito, California. Cases of Covid-19 are rising in the area, and, of course, they're both looking after a new baby, so it makes sense they're taking it easy. It also means all those rumours of a huge A-list party simply weren't true... They're spending the special day just like many of us have over the past year and half since the pandemic started: low-key and laidback.
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