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Her birthdays are usually spent hosting friends and family at Anmer Hall, the Cambridges’ sprawling country retreat. This year, however, things were rather different.
With the United Kingdom in strict lockdown as Covid-19 cases continue to climb, it was a quiet affair with only immediate family in attendance. And Kate celebrated the start of her final year in her 30s in typically British way – with a cuppa.
The duchess – whose birthday is 11 January – was treated to simple tea party thrown by her husband, Prince William, and their three kids, Prince George (7), Princess Charlotte (5) and Prince Louis (2).
According to an insider, the family is totally unassuming in their ways. “If you go round to Kate’s house you get a cup of tea and it’s often William who makes it.”
And he was in charge of the teapot for his wife’s birthday party too as the family hunkered down in the mid-winter countryside.
It was a different story for Kate’s birthday last year. Back in January 2020, the coronavirus was barely a blip on the global radar, something that was affecting only China.
Kate and William had the prince’s oldest friend, Tom van Straubenzee, and his wife, Lucy Lanigan-O’Keeffe, around as well as neighbour and long-time pal Sophie Snuggs, who is one of Charlotte’s godparents, and her husband, Robert.
Other past birthdays have involved shooting weekends for friends and family on the grounds of Anmer Hall.
Despite the low-key nature of this year’s event, Kate was flooded with well-wishes on social media, including one on the queen’s official Instagram account, which shared a photo of Kate as well as one with Her Majesty at a flower show last year.
“Wishing The Duchess of Cambridge a very happy birthday today!” it read.
Kate thanked everyone for their “kind wishes” on her and William’s official Instagram account where again she showed her support for England’s on-going battle against the pandemic.
“Birthdays have been very different in recent months, and our thoughts continue to be with all those working on the frontline at this hugely challenging time.”
In December, she and William shared a poignant message for everyone still struggling with the Covid-related effects of 2020.
“This Christmas our thoughts are with those of you who are spending today alone, to those of you who are grief stricken from the loss of a loved one and those of you on the frontline who are somehow mustering the energy to put your own lives on hold and at risk to look after the rest of us.
“Wishing you a merry Christmas doesn’t feel right this year,” they continued on Instagram. “So instead we’re wishing for a better 2021.”
Sources: people.com, harpersbazaar.com, Instagram
