Happy birthday, Princess Catherine!
Kate Middleton is celebrating her 42nd birthday today, Tuesday, and she’ll be ringing in the occasion with her nearest and dearest family members. According to royal expert Jennie Bond who spoke with Fabulous, the Princess of Wales is with Prince William and kids Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis at her childhood home in Bucklebury, Berkshire with her parents Carole and Michael Middleton.
Since the little ones haven’t returned to school post-holidays, they are all still very much in vacation mode — and able to pour all their attention onto Mummy! Jennie revealed:
“Luckily the children don’t go back to school until the 10th, so the family can celebrate the last day of the Christmas holidays and Catherine’s birthday at the same time.”
Fun!
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The Duchess of Cambridge is also probably relieved this time of year isn’t filled with as much drama as it was last year, the royal correspondent pointed out:
“Last year her birthday coincided with all the publicity about [Prince] Harry’s book, which was about to be published. This year things are looking much smoother for Catherine and her family.”
But that’s not to say this past year hasn’t been without its challenges, either, Jennie added:
“She has also weathered the storm of Omid Scobie’s book and I’m sure William and the children will want to spoil her with cards and special gifts. There is no doubt that the Princess would value nothing more than some handcrafted presents from her children. Perhaps their granny, Carole, will help them make a birthday cake for her — after all, Catherine has always enjoyed helping the children learn to bake.”
So sweet! As for how her parents and husband might help make her feel special, the source went on:
“I’m sure Catherine’s parents would love to make a fuss of their daughter and it may be that William will want to treat his wife to a romantic birthday dinner, but with school starting the next morning, they are more likely to spend the evening sorting out uniforms and school bags ready for the start of term!”
Okay, that doesn’t seem so fun, but it doesn’t sound like the momma bear would mind! That’s parenthood, after all! As for whether the royal feels daunted by aging, the confidant thinks Kate is only getting more confident with age — and noted how she’s proven this by handling all the allegations levied against her with “class.” The source explained:
“I think Catherine has embraced her 40s and is now more comfortable in her skin and in her role than ever before. Some women may find their 40s intimidating, but Catherine is successful, confident and popular. Her family is, we can presume, complete and she is dividing her time between her children and a big role on the world stage. And she is doing it with composure, dignity and a wonderful common touch. She has nailed being royal and yet still relatable. She is the shining star of a modern monarchy, and it’s no surprise that King Charles [III] refers to her as his ‘beloved daughter in law’. I don’t think she will lose any sleep over the fact that she is going to be 42.”
By the way, Charles and Queen Camilla were among the first to wish their daughter-in-law happy birthday by sharing a photo of Kate at Charles’ crowning ceremony, writing:
“Wishing The Princess of Wales a very happy birthday today!”
Nice!
Now, what does the future hold? According to Bond, the Queen-to-be will spend the next year continuing to work on projects close to her heart, such as her ongoing early childhood campaign, while also making sure her children are taken care of. The journalist noted:
“Her campaigns, particularly about early years development, are going from strength to strength. Her next focus is getting men more involved in that crucial part of a child’s life.”
The 73-year-old continued:
“I’m sure she is the main influence in ensuring that both she and William have a reasonable work/home life balance during their children’s formative years. They have withstood some criticism because of their stand on this but I, for one, applaud them for it.”
There’s a lot to look forward to — and we’re sure Kate’s glad to close this last chapter of her life (especially after those nasty racism allegations — oof!). We hope it’s a good b-day! Send her your well wishes (below)!