Kate Middleton turned 39 years old on Jan. 9, and while a lockdown was in effect in the United Kingdom, she still had a grand time as her children -- Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis -- hosted a tea party to celebrate her special day.
A source told People that Kate's children, who are in the ages 7, 5 and 2, respectively, planned the tea party with their dad, Prince William. The family is currently staying in Anmer Hall in Norfolk and will likely remain in the countryside for a few more weeks as the U.K.'s public health crisis continues.
The insider also added that William is quite capable of making teas. When the couple has guests at home, it's the Duke of Cambridge who prepares the warm cups to welcome the visitors.
Though William, Kate, and their children are the future of the monarchy, the insider also said that they are as normal as any busy family with kids. The Cambridges have no airs about them. Their house is very welcoming and hardly stuffy or fancy for someone of their stature.
Meanwhile, the royal family could not get together for Kate's birthday due to the lockdown restrictions, but they did greet the Duchess of Cambridge on social media. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip led the salutations by posting two photos of Kate, including one with Her Majesty. Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, also wished their daughter-in-law a happy birthday with a beautiful photo of Kate.
In response, Kate thanked everyone who remembered her birthday and sent out a greeting. The Duchess of Cambridge said that it feels so different to celebrate her birthday this year amid the pandemic, but the frontline heroes continue to be in her thoughts as the crisis is far from over.
In January 2020, Kate celebrated her birthday with William and some of their lifelong friends in a low-key way as well. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge went to church in the morning in Sandringham with the Queen, and then they had lunch at Anmer Hall.
Two months later, the whole world changed, and the royal family has not been exempted from following the guidelines to social distance and limit gatherings. Queen Elizabeth had to isolate herself from her family for much of 2020 and only conducted a couple of in-person royal engagements with Prince William in June and with the new set of senior royals in December.
