PRINCE William and Kate Middleton’s only daughter Princess Charlotte turns nine today and will be celebrating with her tight knit family.
According to royal author Claudia Joseph, the young royal will have a “low key” birthday this year, and Prince William could step up with a very important part of the day.
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The Princess of Wales is currently recovering at home following her planned abdominal surgery in January, and following her cancer diagnosis, which was revealed in March.
The royal expert told Fabulous: “Usually Kate will stay up into the early hours and make the children’s cakes.
“It depends how well she’s feeling, I imagine whether she will do that, or William might even make the cake, for all we know.”
As the Easter holidays have finished, the young princess will be spending the day at £7,000-a-term Lambrook School with her siblings, but will celebrate whens he returns to their family home, Adelaide Cottage.
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Claudia added: “I think this birthday is going to be very unusual for all the children this year because obviously, Kate’s having treatment for cancer.
“I think that this is going to be a very low key birthday for Charlotte.
“She’s obviously going to be going to school for the majority of the day.
“So there might be a happy birthday song in the playground, but it will be lessons as normal.
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“And then in the afternoon, I imagine that it will be a family occasion.
“She will obviously open her presents with her family and her parents. And I think she’ll have a birthday cake.”
Princes George and Louis and Princess Charlotte bake a cake for mum Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge as she pays tribute to her own mum
Down-to-earth family
While the Wales family are now worth over £1billion – thanks to William inheriting the Duchy of Cornwall property portfolio when Charles became King – they don’t tend to be extravagant in their presents, says Claudia.
She said: “I think that obviously the Wales children have a very privileged lifestyle.
“They have access to lots of palaces. And there are lots of very nice gifts they’ve been given over their lifetime but William and Kate are very keen to give their children the simple pleasures in life.
“That’s what matters to them most. That’s how Kate was brought up.”
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When it comes to presents, Charlotte will get gifts that “appeal to her”, says the biographer.
She continued: “The royal family is very well known for their joke presents and they’ve given each other loo sets, rubber gloves, all sorts of things in the past.
“And there’s certainly the Waleses have a sense of humour, so I imagine there might well be a joke present among the lot.
Inside Princess Charlotte’s favourite game
THE Prince of Wales has shared how he loves watching his children have fun with their cousins, but one particular game is divisive.
The future king told Radio Marsden’s Barry Alston that – like many families around the country – they love a competitive game of monopoly.
Prince William shared: “When I see my children meet up with my cousins’ children, and they all have a wonderful time playing together, it’s very special.
“We love Monopoly and Risk, that’s a good game, it goes on for hours and usually everyone gets really cross because they lose but that’s what I like playing.”
“Charlotte is a huge fan of ballet and dancing and tap, so it would be expected for them to tap into that.
“I think the Waleses are very keen on experiences and last year we saw Kate take Charlotte for a treat to watch Cinderella at the Royal Opera House.
“They won’t be extravagant gifts, they’ll be fun gifts, outdoorsy, they’re keen on the great outdoors, as we all know.”
Young princess
Charlotte was born on May 2, 2015, at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, and we’ve seen her grow into a sweet “mini-me” of mum, Kate.
They have access to lots of palaces. And there are lots of very nice gifts they’ve been given over their lifetime but William and Kate are very keen to give their children the simple pleasures in life
Claudia Joseph
She was brought into the world in the infamous Lindo Wing, and weighed 8lbs 3oz.
Her full name – Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana of Wales – has some very sentimental ties.
Her middle names are those of both her late grandmother, Princess Diana, and her great-grandmother Her Majesty The Queen.
From nailing her own little royal wave to delighting fans with her funny sayings, Princess Charlotte often steals the show.
Royal fans have witnessed her perfectly perform royal duties as a bridesmaid at two royal weddings and for her first engagements with her parents.
But it’s the bond she has with her two cheeky brothers that regularly entertains the public, including how she keeps George and Louis in check at big events.
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Sporty royal
Claudia added: “I think Princess Charlotte has always been a happy child. I think we’ve only seen one tantrum in the entire time she’s been in the public eye.
“We’ve seen her stick her tongue out at the regatta. She likes the attention, she likes having fun, she enjoys herself.
“She’s also incredibly keen on sport.
“Kate’s taken the children to Buckingham Palace to learn to swim in the swimming pool there. They’ve had lessons at the Hurlingham Club.
“She has dance lessons at school.
“They’ve been to sailing, football matches obviously, to watch William’s beloved Aston Villa.
“And they’re a family of animal lovers, hamsters, dogs, horses, you name it. They love animals.”
I think Princess Charlotte has always been a happy child. I think we’ve only seen one tantrum in the entire time she’s been in the public eye
Claudia Joseph
There is a possibility that Charlotte’s title could change from Princess as she gets older.
But rather than losing royal status, which is very unlikely, she will gain additional titles.
When the Queen‘s eldest daughter, Princess Anne dies, Charlotte could be given the title of Princess Royal – a title that can only be held by one person at any given time.
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The princess could also end up getting a Dukedom if she chooses to get married, like her father.
Prince William was given the additional title of Duke of Cambridge when he married her mother, and has since inherited the title of the Prince of Wales from his father when he became king.
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