Catherine, Princess of Wales, is celebrating her 43rd birthday. Photo / @princeandprincessofwales
Catherine, Princess of Wales, is celebrating her 43rd birthday. Photo / @princeandprincessofwales
Kate Middleton has turned 43 and Prince William marked the occasion with a heartfelt message. The royal family is not known for its declarations of love in public, writes The Telegraph’s Hannah Furness, but nothing about the past year has been ordinary.
The royal family is not ordinarily famous for its declarations of love in public.
Then again, nothing about this past year has been ordinary.
There could be no clearer sign of the impact the last year has had on the family, and no simpler insight into the priorities of a Prince and Princess.
The family attended Sandringham Church on Christmas Day. Photo / Getty Images
In years gone by, such sentiments would have been shared privately.
Indeed, most of the couple’s birthdays go largely unmarked, other than with a basic short message from the royal family’s social media page.
However, just as their lives have changed in the face of serious illness, so has their communication.
On Thursday, the Wales family have no public engagements. Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis are at school, with time for a birthday breakfast, tea party and the daily dog walk for William and Catherine in between.
Since her last birthday, the Princess has endured major abdominal surgery, a cancer diagnosis and chemotherapy, and is building her way back gradually to a full life and public work again.
Kate Middleton and Prince William. Photo / Kensington Palace
As of now, the Prince’s pride in her is spelt out for all to see.
The royal stiff upper lip – or what small part of it had survived – is over for good.
The Prince of Wales’ message accompanied a new photograph of the Princess, taken by Matt Porteous – who has worked with the family numerous times before – in Windsor over the summer.
At the time, the Princess had not yet announced that she had finally finished her chemotherapy, and was doing her best to enjoy the school holidays with her young family.
The black and white image, which features her distinctive engagement ring prominently, is another unusual choice, following the Princess’ more recent aesthetic of outdoor, countryside photography shoots.
Asked why the Prince had chosen to send a personal message this year, palace sources indicated that the words spoke for themselves.
The Princess, they noted, is increasingly choosing to share her “journey” with the public directly, through her video messages and signed letters.
Prince William is the final member of their nuclear family to make it a full house of declarations of love.
The Princess will no doubt be touched by the public gesture.
Her husband has previously admitted to less-than-lavish birthday efforts, saying of their early days of courtship: “I did get my wife a pair of binoculars once. She’s never let me forget that.”
In her message in September, the Princess said of her illness: “This time has above all reminded William and me to reflect and be grateful for the simple yet important things in life, which so many of us often take for granted. Of simply loving and being loved.”
She will continue with her “gradual return” to public duties this year, navigating the path of life after chemo with her family cheering her on.
