Prince William's touching message to Kate Middleton with never-seen-before photo: 'So proud'

Prince William has shared a heartfelt message to honour Kate Middleton's 43rd birthday, taking to Instagram to share a never-seen-before black and white shot of Kate alongside a rare personalised caption.

The Prince and Princess of Wales' Instagram page shared the dedication after Kate celebrated her birthday on Thursday, with William calling Kate the most "incredible wife and mother".

“To the most incredible wife and mother. The strength you’ve shown over the last year has been remarkable. George, Charlotte, Louis and I are so proud of you. Happy Birthday, Catherine. We love you. W,” the message read.

Fans and friends took to the comments to wish Kate a happy birthday, with the Royal family photographer Matt Porteous (who also took the candid snap) saying, "Happy Birthday Catherine, wishing you a wonderful year ahead surrounded by family and loved ones ❤️."

"Happy Birthday 💗 she’s a real princess! Beautiful, brave and sweet and inspiring," one fan commented, with another saying, "Stunning photo of our birthday Princess. The sweetest message from her loving family. Wishing Catherine a blessed year ahead."

"This is so beautiful ❤️ Princess never forget, we are all behind you," someone else commented.

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Royal insider reveals Kate Middleton's return to work plan: 'Slow'

After discovering she had cancer in early 2024, Kate Middleton took a step back from the public eye for most of the year while she completed chemotherapy. In the last few months, the Princess of Wales has made a gradual return to royal life.

At the end of last year, Kate attended several events and took part in the royal family's annual walk to church, where she was greeted by countless well-wishers. This has led many people to wonder what 2025 will look like for Kate and her return to work.

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Speaking to the Daily Mail, a royal insider shared: "There is no huge reset button that's going to be hit in January. What we will actually see is a slow continuation of the Princess balancing her recovery and her public-facing duties, as she outlined back in September."

They add that there are no plans for Kate to take part in any full-scale foreign tours, despite William previously saying he has several trips lined up in the coming months.

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