Prince Harry tells of his excitement at turning 40 as his birthday celebrations get under way this weekend: Bring on the next decade

Prince Harry is set to be excited to start a new decade as he turns 40, with his birthday celebrations set to get underway this weekend.

The Duke of Sussex will mark the milestone on Sunday privately with his family, wife Meghan and their children Archie, five and Lilibet, three at their home in Montecito, California.

He is then thought to be planning a getaway for a weekend with his closest friends, Sky News reported.

In a statement to the BBC, the Prince showed an eagerness to start a new chapter and continue doing good in the world.

Prince Harry has indicated he is excited to bring on the next decade ahead of his 40th birthday this weekend

Harry and Meghan pictured last month in Bogota during a visit to the Colombian capital

The Duke met his wife Meghan two years after turning 30, and has since moved with her to California, leaving behind his time as a working royal

He said:  Whatever the age, my mission is to continue showing up and doing good in the world.

Bring on the next decade, he added.

His message also paid tribute to his two incredibly kind and funny boys, adding they had sharpened his focus in all my work.

Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace are both yet to indicate whether they will do anything to mark Harrys big birthday. 

Later this month, Harry is set to head to New York to advance a number of his patronages and philanthropic initiatives, his team said.

His visit will coincide with the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Week on September 23 to 27 and Climate Week between September 22 and 29. 

The Duke had said he had been anxious to turn 30 in 2014, a year after returning from his second tour in Afghanistan. 

His 30th birthday came just months after breaking up with Cressida Bonas, before meeting Meghan Markle two years later.

It was marked with a black tie event thrown by his elder brother Prince William at Clarence House.

The Dukes last decade has seen him grow apart from his family, including his elder brother Prince William who organised his 30th birthday celebrations

Harry (pictured centre)  with his elder brother, his father Charles (now the King), at the Queen Mothers 101st birthday celebrations

Prince Harry with his wife Meghan and Catherine, Princess of Wales in London

The couples rift with the royals widened after their Netflix series and Harrys memoir Spare

Since then he has moved with his wife to California, ending his time as a working royal.

Harrys relationship with his family worsened following his tell all memoir Spare, released in January, in which he detailed his alleged mistreatment by other royals.

He claimed that the Prince of Wales, 42, branded Meghan difficult, rude and abrasive, and even accused him of pushing him into a dog bowl. 

Harry last came to the UK for a service at St Pauls Cathedral marking ten years of the Invictus Games, the sports event he helped to launch for injured soldiers.

He notably didnt visit the King during his visit to the capital, although he previously returned to the UK in February to see Charles after he revealed he had been diagnosed with an unspecified form of cancer.