Happy birthday to Kate from the royal family as the princess turns 43

The Royal Family congratulated the Princess of Wales on her 43rd birthday. Queen Kate-to-be celebrates the holiday at home in Windsor with the Prince of Wales and Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. The monarchy’s official media account shared a message on its Instagram Stories: “Happy birthday to the Princess of Wales!” followed by the birthday cake emoji. It was accompanied by a photo of Kate smiling as she collected bouquets of flowers from well-wishers while visiting a church in Sandringham on Christmas Day. Kate has endured a difficult past 12 months which has seen her undergo abdominal surgery, a cancer diagnosis and chemotherapy. Next week will mark one year since the princess was admitted to hospital for surgery on January 16, just seven days after her 42nd birthday. She spent nearly two weeks in a London clinic after major surgery and was recovering at home when she was told she had cancer and needed to start chemotherapy. The royal family is hoping for a better year in 2025 after what William described as a “tough” and possibly “toughest year” of his life, when his father, the king, was also diagnosed with the disease. The princess’ birthday on January 9 coincides with the state funeral of former US President Jimmy Carter. But it is William’s uncle, the Duke of Edinburgh, who traveled to Washington, D.C., to represent Charles, not the heir to the throne, as has often been done at the funerals of American leaders. The princess is expected to continue her gradual return to public duties with more appearances this year. In September, after completing treatment, Kate said: “My focus now is to do everything I can to stay cancer free. “Although I have finished chemotherapy, my road to healing and full recovery is long and I must continue to take each day as it comes.”