Prince William turns 40: Queen to host joint 40th party for Wills and Kate
Prince William will hold a lavish joint 40th birthday bash with wife Catherine as his rift with brother Prince Harry deepens.
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Prince William will hold a joint 40th birthday bash with wife Catherine after she was forced to cancel her own party plans earlier this year due to the pandemic.
The Duke of Cambridge has been given the go ahead to throw a glamorous bash at the Queen’s Windsor Castle home or Sandringham Estate within months after agreeing the couple should “celebrate their landmark birthdays in style”, according to The Mirror.
The royals are known for their lavish bashes to celebrate milestone birthdays.
One such extravaganza — known as the Dance of the Decades — was held in June 2000 at Windsor Castle to celebrate Prince Andrew’s 40th birthday, Princess Anne’s 50th, Princess Margaret’s 70th and Prince William’s 18th.
It was later revealed that convicted sex offenders Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell had attended the bash at Prince Andrew’s request.
For Prince William, who turns 40 on Tuesday, his milestone birthday marks a major turning point in his journey towards becoming king.
Royal fans can hardly believe the man who has grown up in the public’s eye – and who famously charmed Australia on his first royal tour as a toddler – is hitting the big 4-0.
Buoyed by the success of the recent Platinum Jubilee celebrations and surrounded by his adoring wife and children, Prince William will undoubtedly be on a high as he celebrates his big day.
However, commentators say the celebrations will be marred by his fractious relationship with his estranged brother, Prince Harry, whose explosive Oprah Winfrey interview and allegations of racism shook the House of Windsor to its core.
Speaking from London, royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams described the ongoing feud between the brothers, which is showing no sign of being resolved soon, as “heartbreaking”.
The brothers reportedly did not speak to each other when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle flew to London for the Platinum Jubilee earlier this month.
“As far as the situation goes with Prince Harry, it’s heartbreaking. I think it’s truly sad that there’s a rift in the royal family – it’s public, it’s obvious and it doesn’t seem to have been healed.”
Mr Fitzwilliams said the Platinum Jubilee celebrations were “brilliantly arranged so that the Queen was the centre of attention”, but now there is a real concern in Prince William’s camp about Prince Harry’s upcoming tell-all memoir.
“William reportedly feels very bitter about what has happened and he feels very let down. It’s all very sad,” Mr Fitzwilliams said.
The disintegration of the relationship between the brothers would be devastating for their late mother Princess Diana, royal experts say.
“Like any parent, Diana would be deeply saddened by the breakdown in her sons’ relationship.”
As William turns 40, the future king has one major asset on his side – his wife and future Queen consort, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge.
“As far as William is concerned, he knows his family are the future of the monarchy,” Mr Fitzwilliams said.
“And also he knows that the future is in good hands because he and Catherine are the perfect team and they are doing exceptionally well.
“The Cambridges are the world’s most high profile couple – they’re the most glamorous and they’re also the most watched.
“They have a wonderful habit of combining the formal and the informal – they’re tremendously popular, all the polls show that.
“They are looking at relocating to Windsor to be near the Queen and where the court is at the moment.
“There’s little doubt that William is working very closely with Charles to support the Queen.”
Mr Fitzwilliams said it was “significant” that the Cambridges were doing more for the charities that they had taken on.
Like his father, Prince Charles, William has made the environment one of his principal causes and passions.
His speech to a global audience of millions about the environment at the Platinum Jubilee’s Party at the Palace showed the direction he wants take the monarchy in.
Professor Bastin said following the success of the 96-year-old Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, Prince Charles and Prince William are now “presenting themselves as a strong team”.
“They are certainly overseeing a process of smooth transition to the next phase of royal history,” she said.
PRINCE WILLIAM OVER THE YEARS
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