Kate Middleton is just days away from ringing in her 43rd birthday on January 9, and after her health struggles over the past year, it’s not surprising that she would want to make this year’s festivities all the more special—and relaxing. Coming just months after she announced she’d finished chemotherapy, the Princess of Wales is reportedly considering breaking her birthday tradition on Thursday with a low-key celebration that’s in a different place than usual.
Kate usually celebrates her birthdays with Prince William and their kids Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis at their Norfolk home, Anmer Hall. Before heading back to their full-time home in Windsor, Adelaide Cottage, the family has typically stayed in Norfolk for the first few weeks of the new year after celebrating the holidays at Sandringham. Anmer Hall is also ideal for entertaining a roster of royal guests in a country getaway setting, and Kate reportedly hosted the Middleton family at a small holiday party separate from King Charles and Queen Camilla’s bigger bash this past December.
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However, this year, Kate is reportedly switching things up for her birthday, choosing to head back to Adelaide Cottage early to celebrate her 43rd there, Hello! Magazine reports. It’s unclear why the Wales family decided to cut their Norfolk stay short, but it’s possible that Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis’s imminent return to school might have something to do with it.
All three of the Wales kids attend Lambrook School in Berkshire, which is just minutes away from Adelaide Cottage. According to the institution’s website, school resumes after winter break on January 8, meaning Kate probably wanted to be back home to ensure they were ready to go on Wednesday.
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Kate hasn’t publicly shared exactly how she’ll be spending her 43rd at home–she’s celebrated previous birthdays with a sweet tea party with her kids, hosting friends at Norfolk, and even posing for a royal portrait–but it’s bound to be an extra-sweet milestone after the difficulties of the past year.
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“This time last year, the princess must have been anxious–and probably in pain–as she geared up for her planned abdominal surgery, which took place a few days after her 42nd birthday,” royal correspondent Jennie Bond recently told OK! via The Mirror. “That, of course, was followed by the shock of her cancer diagnosis, so this will be the perfect opportunity to celebrate.”
In contrast, this “memorable” birthday will “mark the start of a new and hopefully happier year,” Bond added. “Catherine will, I am sure, be delighted that she is able to enjoy her birthday in comparatively good health, though of course she is still recovering. Every day must now be extra precious for the Princess, and every birthday a cause for grateful celebration.”
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