I met Harry as he turned 30. A tumultuous decade later, here’s how he’s changed

If the Duke of Sussex uses his 40th birthday to reflect on the past decade, he’ll have plenty to ponder.

Prince Harry will celebrate privately on Sunday, with his wife and children, in Montecito in California before heading off on a break with friends.

Messages came from the Royal Family, who haven’t publicly acknowledged Prince Harry’s birthday for two years.

First, a social media post from Buckingham Palace wishing him “a very happy 40th birthday”.

Then, just over an hour later, the same message was reposted by the accounts of the Prince and Princess of Wales. The posts didn’t come with personal messages but the fact they were there at all is interesting.

After a tumultuous ten years – the question is whether the next decade will be a smoother ride for Harry.

It’s not easy to answer. As always with the Duke and the Duchess of Sussex, views are polarised and entrenched.

I first met Prince Harry in the months before his 30th birthday. He’s now told the BBC it was a period in his life when he felt “anxious”.

Back then, we chatted about travelling by tube – something he told me he’d never done. He joked with a BBC colleague I was with. And he talked about his plans for the future away from the comfort and shelter the Army had provided.

I remember walking home thinking how restless Prince Harry had seemed.

Definitely chatty and entertaining. Enthusiastic and energised. But also restless.

I last met Prince Harry in May of this year. Now he’s a husband, father, ex-soldier, former working member of the Royal Family and resident of California. The chat about the London Underground felt like a lifetime ago.

We spent around an hour filming with him at a central London hotel where we watched him lead the games at a children’s party for one of his charities. He couldn’t resist joining in and was an impressive winner of the “who could eat a strawberry lace the fastest” competition.

In many ways we were watching the Harry of old. He was informal and fun. He mucked in and chatted to just about everyone.

In the noise of leaving royal life behind, this version of Prince Harry hasn’t been on show as often.