The Princess of Wales, who turns 43 on January 9, will spend the day at home with Prince William and their children, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6, according to PEOPLE. The children returned to Lambrook School on January 8 after a Christmas vacation, and they will celebrate with their mother later at Adelaide Cottage.
Prince William honored his wife in a social media post on her Jan. 9 birthday, along with a previously unseen shot of her taken by one of their go-to photographers, Matt Porteous. Last summer, Matt Porteous shot the black-and-white photograph in Windsor, featuring Princess Kate smiling and gazing into the distance with her hands in her trousers’ pockets.
“To the most amazing wife and mother. “The strength you’ve demonstrated in the last year has been remarkable,” the Prince of Wales remarked beneath the photo. “George, Charlotte, Louis, and I are very proud of you. Catherine, have a happy birthday. We adore you. W.”
William’s social media statement for his wife on her birthday may be his most heartfelt yet, following a difficult year. Princess Kate had planned abdominal surgery in January 2024, reported in March that she was receiving treatment for an unidentified kind of cancer, and declared in September that she had finished chemotherapy.
The Princess of Wales stayed out of the public eye for nearly all of 2024 to care for her health, and she stated in her Sept. 9 letter about finishing chemo that she will continue to take things one day at a time.
“My primary focus is now on doing everything possible to avoid cancer. Although I have completed chemotherapy, my journey to healing and full health remains lengthy, and I must continue to take each day as it comes,” Princess Kate remarked at the time.
A family friend exclusively tells PEOPLE that Princess Kate, a “real running, skipping, and jumping” sort of athlete, is sensibly prioritizing her health.
“She is responsible for herself and is sensible enough to do so,” a family acquaintance said.
Robert Hardman, author of The Making of a King: Charles III and the Modern Monarchy, tells PEOPLE that the princess may still be recovering.
Hardman encourages us not to view this as a chapter that ends and then returns to normal, as cancer operates differently. “The details remain private, but there’s no getting over the reality that it’s an unpredictable disease.”
“The clue is in her phrase “one day at a time”—that’s how she’s going to approach it,” Hardman said, alluding to a passage in her letter about finishing chemotherapy.
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A source says, “They have allowed her to return in her own way.” It’s fantastic that they’ve allowed her to pace things and do it her way.
King Charles and Queen Camilla paid homage to Kate on her birthday, and the Westminster Abbey bells tolled in her honor. Others in her network left comments on Prince William’s Instagram post.
The Princess of Wales’ younger brother, James Middleton, reacted with two emojis: a birthday cake and a heart, while Porteous wished her a joyful new year.
“Happy Birthday, Catherine! Wishing you a wonderful year ahead surrounded by family and loved ones,” Porteous said, adding a heart.
The photographer is responsible for many of the Prince and Princess of Wales’ family portraits, including the first shot of Princess Kate after she disclosed her cancer diagnosis. That photo was also taken in Windsor and shared in June alongside an update on her health, and the latest photo unveiled on her 43rd birthday might have been from the same session.