How Meghan Markle Will Celebrate Her 43rd Birthday This Weekend

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will appear in a new interview on ‘CBS Sunday Morning,’ airing on Meghan’s birthday

Meghan Markle at the Nigerian Defence Headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria on May 11, 2024. Photo: KOLA SULAIMON/AFP via Getty

Meghan Markle is marking another trip around the sun.

The Duchess of Sussex turns 43 on Aug. 4 and is expected to spend it privately with family, as she has in the past, PEOPLE understands.

This year, Meghan’s birthday falls on the same day that her rare joint interview with Prince Harry, 39, will air on CBS Sunday Morning. In a preview clip released by the network on Aug. 1, the Duchess of Sussex spoke about her desire to protect her children from harmful online content.

“Our kids are young — they’re 3 and 5. They’re amazing,” Meghan told interviewer Jane Pauley. “But all you want to do as parents is protect them.”

“So as we can see what’s happening in the online space, we know that there’s a lot of work to be done there, and we’re just happy to be able to be a part of change for good,” she added.

Building a better online world is a pillar of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s Archewell Foundation, which they launched in 2020 after stepping back from their royal roles in the U.K.

Advocating for safer online spaces was the focus of the foundation’s first in-person event in October 2023, where Harry and Meghan spoke at a panel during the Archewell Foundation Parents’ Summit: Mental Wellness in a Digital Age in New York City. The event on World Mental Health Day brought together families affected by tragic loss connected to a child’s social media use and created space to discuss the urgency of greater online safety. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex had worked with the parents involved in the event behind the scenes over the past year.

Meghan and Prince Harry are also planning an upcoming trip. On Aug. 1, it was announced that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will travel to Colombia in an official capacity.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle (center) pose for a photo during the Mixed Team Gold Medal match between Team Colombia and Team Poland at the Invictus Games on Sept. 15, 2023 in Duesseldorf, Germany.Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty

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The update came from Francia Márquez, Colombia’s vice president and the first Black woman to hold the position. Dates for the visit have not yet been released.

“As the Vice President of Colombia and Minister of Equality and Equity, I am pleased to announce that Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, have kindly accepted my invitation to visit our beautiful country,” Márquez said in a statement.

Prince Harry and Meghan are set to stop in Bogotá, Cartagena and Cali, and their trip connects to their Archewell Foundation’s advocacy around safer digital environments. The news dropped ahead of the first World Ministerial Conference on the Elimination of Violence Against Children, taking place in Colombia in November.

“The conference will present a global framework for creating safer physical and virtual spaces, addressing issues such as cyberbullying, online exploitation and the impact of these threats on mental health. It will offer practical solutions and commitments for countries around the world. During their visit, the Duke and Duchess, as well as the Archewell Foundation, will take part in a number of activities related to this important topic,” Márquez said.

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Meghan and Prince Harry typically celebrate birthdays privately with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. Earlier this summer, the family celebrated Lili turning 3 with a weekend bash before her June 4 birthday at home in Montecito, California.

Just ahead of her birthday last year, Meghan and Prince Harry stepped out for dinner at the popular Italian restaurant Tre Lune in Montecito. “From what I gathered, they enjoyed their food and had a nice time,” a source told PEOPLE.

The Duchess of Sussex marked her milestone 40th birthday in 2021 by announcing her 40×40 initiative, encouraging people to commit 40 minutes to support women returning to work. The announcement came with the help of Melissa McCarthy over a video call, where Prince Harry made a surprise appearance showing off his juggling skills!

In 2018, just a few months after her royal wedding, Meghan celebrated her 37th birthday with a double celebration by joining Prince Harry at his friend Charlie van Straubenzee’s wedding.