The Prince issued a heartfelt message to his wife, publicly praising her as an ‘incredible wife and mother’…
Prince William has shared a heartfelt tribute to his wife Kate Middleton on her 43rd birthday, following a year filled with personal challenges. The Prince of Wales took to social media with a touching written message, celebrating Kate as an “incredible wife and mother” and commending her remarkable strength throughout her cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Alongside the tribute was a new photo of the Princess of Wales, taken by Matt Porteous in Windsor last summer, where she appears casual and joyful with hands in her jeans pockets and wearing a gingham scarf. In his note, William wrote: “To the most incredible wife and mother. The strength you’ve shown over the last year has been remarkable. George, Charlotte, Louis and I are so proud of you. Happy Birthday, Catherine. We love you. W”.
This comes as the official Royal Family social media accounts also posted an image of Kate beaming at Sandringham during Christmas, surrounded by bouquets from well-wishers, along with the caption: “Happy Birthday to The Princess of Wales!” and a birthday cake emoji.
Kate Middleton is likely to celebrate her birthday today in the comfort of her Windsor home following Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis’ return to school post-Christmas break.
Royal expert Jennie Bond shared gave OK her insights on Kate’s special day, saying: “Her birthday is on a school day, so life will be the usual hectic round of getting everyone up and ready, with school bags packed. But maybe William will find time to give Catherine breakfast in bed before he looks after the kids and the school run.
“A rose on the breakfast tray and some luxury bath products would not go amiss. I expect she might want to see her parents on her birthday too as they have been such a key part of her recovery. I’m sure something very special will be winging its way towards her from the King for her birthday too.
“If he needed some help in choosing a gift, I’m sure Camilla would have been only too happy to help. She, too, is undoubtedly full of admiration for Catherine. I expect there will be a video call to wish her a happy birthday and to see the children making a fuss of her,” reports the Mirror.
Next week marks the anniversary of the Duchess being hospitalised for abdominal surgery on January 16, which was just a week after her 42nd birthday.
Kate spent nearly two weeks in the London Clinic following a major operation, and was recuperating at home when she was told she had cancer and had to begin chemotherapy. The Royal family is hoping for a better 2025 after what Prince William described as a “brutal” and probably “the hardest year” of his life, with his father, King Charles, also diagnosed with the disease.
Her birthday today coincides with the state funeral of former US president Jimmy Carter. However, it will be Prince Philip, William’s uncle, who will travel to Washington DC and represent the King, breaking from the usual custom of the heir to the throne attending the funeral of American leaders.
Kate is expected to gradually return to public duties with more appearances this year. William and Kate are likely to carry out an overseas visit together, with the prince hinting at this during his tour to Cape Town last autumn.
“I think hopefully Catherine will be doing a bit more next year, so we’ll have some more trips maybe lined up,” he said. Kate ended December by joining her family at church in Sandringham on Christmas Day, having hosted her festive carol concert at Westminster Abbey earlier in the month.
She brought Christmas cheer with her annual carol concert, where she gathered with William and their children, other royals, and celebrities such as Paloma Faith and Richard E Grant.
The Princess said last September, post-treatment: “Doing what I can to stay cancer free is now my focus. Although I have finished chemotherapy, my path to healing and full recovery is long and I must continue to take each day as it comes.”