When it comes to royal birthdays, typically the family keep their messages to one another short and sweet (and not super steeped in emotion). But this time around, following the Princess of Wales' most challenging year yet, Prince William has shared a genuinely emotional tribute to his wife on her 43rd birthday.
Along with a new black and white portrait of Kate Middleton, the Prince and Princess of Wales' Instagram account has posted the sweet message from William, which reads: "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."
It's not often that the royals are so open with their emotions in public, so this statement is somewhat of a departure from their usual tribute posts.
The portrait of Kate was taken by Matt Porteous, who has pictured the Princess in the past – most notably the now widely-recognised shot of her under a tree which was shared along with a health update as she was in the middle of receiving treatment following a cancer diagnosis.
It seems that in general the next generation of royals, led by Prince William and Kate Middleton, are all about emotional candour and letting the public in a little more. It's a move that seems to be working in their favour.
In a recent interview, the future King also described 2024 as being his family's most "brutal" year to date, but it seems as though despite the difficulties they're all closer than ever.
Here's wishing the Princess of Wales a very happy birthday and a much brighter year ahead.
Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
