The Prince of Wales has led the royal family tributes to his eldest son the Duke of Cambridge with a sweet collection of throwback photographs to mark his 40th birthday today.
Prince Charles, 73, sent Prince William birthday congratulations on his Instagram account this morning by sharing a number of images showing the duo together.
‘Wishing The Duke of Cambridge a very happy 40th birthday!’, the post read, along with a snap of Charles holding a baby William, and another photo showing the father and son pair on a skiing trip.
Meanwhile, the Queen’s Royal Family Instagram account also shared snaps to mark William’s milestone, with the caption reading: ‘Happy 40th Birthday to The Duke of Cambridge!
The Prince of Wales has led the royal family tributes to his eldest son the Duke of Cambridge with a sweet collection of throwback photographs to mark his 40th birthday today
Prince William couldn’t help but break into a smirk as the Queen inspected graduates of the Sandhurst military academy in 2006 in this throwback image shared by the Royal Family’s Instagram account
The Clarence House Instagram account shared the post with the above caption this morning
Meanwhile, the Queen’s Royal Family Instagram account also shared snaps to mark William’s milestone, with the caption reading: ‘Happy 40th Birthday to The Duke of Cambridge!
‘Prince William Arthur Philip Louis is the elder son of The Prince of Wales and Diana, Princess of Wales. He was born at 9.03pm on 21 June 1982, at St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, London.
‘A bulletin, placed on the gates of Buckingham Palace announced that he weighed 7lb 1 1/2 oz.’
The post included a snap of William as a toddler and then multiple images of Her Majesty pictured alongside her grandson.
Elsewhere, a third image shared by the Prince of Wales captured Charles, William, Camilla and a young Prince George at a Trooping the Colour appearance on Buckingham Palace’s balcony in London.
There was also two images of the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge dressed in their country clothing while posing with one another.
Prince Charles, 73, sent Prince William birthday congratulations on his Instagram account this morning by sharing a number of images showing the duo together
‘Wishing The Duke of Cambridge a very happy 40th birthday!’, the post read, along with a snap of Charles holding a baby William, and another photo showing the father and son pair on a skiing trip
Elsewhere, a third image shared by the Prince of Wales captured Charles, William, Camilla and a young Prince George at a Trooping the Colour appearance on Buckingham Palace’s balcony in London
There was also two images of the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge dressed in their country clothing while posing with one another
Royal fans were quick to comment on Clarence House’s post, with one writing: ‘Last picture is so adorable. Happy Birthday Prince William.’
Another person said: ‘Such a sweet collection of pictures – 40 already, gosh, time flies…’
The post comes following reports that Prince William is to hold a joint 40th birthday party with Kate Middleton at Windsor Castle or Sandringham this summer after the Duchess’ own celebrations were cancelled.
Royal sources have revealed that the Duke and Duchess should ‘celebrate their landmark birthdays in style’, in a tradition for the family which sees multiple members collaborate their big bashes.
Her Majesty and her grandson, William, during a Patron’s Lunch celebration at Buckingham Palace in 2016
The Queen and Prince William on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after the Trooping the Colour parade in 2003. This was another image shared in the Royal Family Instagram account’s post
Prince William shows his grandmother the hanger where the Sea King Helicopter he flies during his training as a Search and Rescue pilot is kept during a visit to RAF Valley in Anglesey in 2011
‘Prince William Arthur Philip Louis is the elder son of The Prince of Wales and Diana, Princess of Wales. He was born at 9.03pm on 21 June 1982, at St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, London,’ read the caption on the Royal Family’s Instagram account
A sweet photograph of Prince William and the Queen during their 2021 Scotland visit
However the Queen, 96, will not confirm her attendance until the day of the party, according to the Mirror, because of her mobility issues which have seen her reluctantly pull out of many royal appearances in recent months.
The Duchess of Cambridge enjoyed her 40th in the Norfolk countryside in January, in a more intimate affair with just friends and family at the Cambridges’ home, Amner Hall, due to the coronavirus.
At the time, a source said: ‘There are likely to be low-key celebrations for the Duchess. She didn’t want anything flashy anyway – that’s not exactly her thing – but particularly given the current climate anything is likely to be scaled down.’
A similar royal knees-up to what is expected this summer was held at Windsor Castle back in June 2000, which saw the family get together for Prince William’s 18th birthday, Princess Anne’s 50th, Princess Margaret’s 70th and Andrew’s 40th.
And for the first time, the Duke will not be having his birthday marked by the flying of the Union flags.
The Queen and Prince Charles will be the only royals honoured with the Union Flag flying over government buildings on their birthdays.
The post comes following reports that Prince William is to hold a joint 40th birthday party with Kate Middleton at Windsor Castle or Sandringham this summer after the Duchess’ own celebrations were cancelled
Royal sources have revealed that the Duke and Duchess should ‘celebrate their landmark birthdays in style’, in a historic tradition for the family which sees multiple members collaborate their big bashes. Pictured is Sandringham Estate, where the royal couple could celebrate their 40th birthdays this summer
However the Queen, 96, will not confirm her attendance until the day of the party, according to the Mirror, because of her mobility issues which have seen her reluctantly pull out of many royal appearances in recent months (pictured is Windsor Castle)
It is reportedly a bid to save Prince Andrew from embarrassment. The honour was stripped from the Duke of York as well as William, Kate, Anne, Edward, Camilla and Sophie.
The government decision is believed to have been agreed upon by the 96-year-old monarch, the Sun reported.
A number of councils allegedly said they would not obey a rule to fly it for Andrew on his birthday earlier this year because of the disgraced Duke of York’s association with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and his lawsuit with Virginia Roberts.
The Queen’s second son was stripped of his official duties this year after he paid a settlement worth £12million to Virginia Roberts, who accused him of sexually abusing her when she was 17. An allegation he denies.
For the first time, the Duke will not be having his birthday marked by the flying of the Union flags. Pictured: Union Flag on a tower of Parliament
The Government publishes a list each year of designated days for the flag to fly over governmental buildings.
Yet the guidance on flags changed in 2022 according to archives of its code on flying the Union Flag, with the alteration meaning the Duke of York’s February 19 birthday is no longer a designated day.
Only Her Majesty and her successor, the Prince of Wales, will have their birthdays marked.
The government said: ‘Since 2021, the default position is the flag flies all year unless another flag is being flown.’
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