- The Princess of Wales celebrated her 44th birthday this week, but according to royal experts, the Wales family "are not ones for big celebrations."
- "The best present is their new house," explained Claudia Joseph, author of Kate: The Making of a Princess. "It’s all about new beginnings and starting over."
- "I suspect this birthday will be important to Kate," Joseph added, noting that "it’s been a very transformative couple of years for them all."
The Wales family looks set to be front and centre in 2026. And from Prince William and Princess Kate's royal partnership to their future plans for Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, the family of five has been making non-stop headlines.
It was Princess Kate who got the world talking this week, with the future Queen celebrating her 44th birthday on Friday 9 January.
The royal family kept the celebrations low key on social media, with the Prince and Princess of Wales choosing not to post a new family portrait as they have on previous occasions.
And according to royal expert Claudia Joseph, the festivities will be equally low key behind closed doors, with the royals traditionally celebrating with a homemade cake and their immediate family.
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"They are not ones for big celebrations - usually it’s just family," reported Claudia Joseph, author of Kate: The Making of a Princess, via Vanity Fair.
However, she did note that the Wales family's recent relocation to "forever home" Forest Lodge will make this birthday extra special, with the royals moving into the Grade II-listed Georgian-style estate in Windsor Great Park, in October 2025.
"The best present is their new house. It’s all about new beginnings and starting over," the royal expert explained.
"I suspect this birthday will be important to Kate. Because of what she has been through and because it’s been a very transformative couple of years for them all."
Well, that's lovely.
We will continue to update this story.
