Queen sends Kate sweet 40th birthday message and shares four photos
The Queen has wished the Duchess of Cambridge a happy 40th birthday with a sweet Instagram message.
The monarch shared four snaps on the official royal accounts, all showing her with her grandson's wife.
Her message wrote: Wishing "The Duchess of Cambridge a very happy 40th birthday today!" She also added a red balloon emoji.
Two of the snaps show Kate and the Queen undertaking joint royal engagements, and a third shows them cutting a cake at an event with Camilla.
The final shot shows the Queen with Kate, Prince William Prince George and Princess Charlotte at Trooping the Colour.
The Queen also shared the three new photos Kate has shared to mark the day on her Instagram stories.
Prince Charles and Camilla also used social media to send a public message to their daughter in law.
They wrote: "Wishing the Duchess of Cambridge a very happy 40th birthday today!"
The Duchess is spending the with her closest family and friends, and she's expected to have a big joint celebration with Wills later this year. The Duke turns 40 in June.
The Queen is expected to throw the bash, with Windsor Castle or Sandringham among the likely venues.
Similar lavish bashes have previously been thrown to jointly celebrate significant birthdays of several members of the family at the same time.
Back in June 2000 a huge do was held at Windsor to celebrate Prince Andrew’s 40th birthday, Princess Anne’s 50th, Princess Margaret’s 70th and William’s 18th.
A source told the Mirror: “It’s very much a scaled-down occasion this year for the Duchess, who will celebrate privately with her family.
“Of course she is mindful of the current situation. She will be surrounded by loved-ones and that’s all that matters.”
Kate's official 40th birthday portraits, taken by Paolo Roversi, are part of the National Portrait Gallery’s Coming Home exhibition. They will go on display in Berkshire, where Kate grew up, St Andrews, where she met Prince William, and Anglesey, their first marital home.
He said: “Taking the portrait of Her Royal Highness, The Duchess of Cambridge, was a true honour for me, and a moment of pure joy.
“I was moved by her warmth and friendly welcome and enchanted by her shining eyes that reflected the loveliness of her soul and her smile showing the generosity of her heart.
“It was a profound and rich experience for me, an unforgettable moment. I have met a wonderful person, a person who, with her positive energy, can bring hope to the whole world.”