Happy birthday, Duchess! Exactly 32 years ago today, Carole and Michael Middleton welcomed daughter Kate Middleton into their family. In the time since, the beautiful brunette has grown up, married a real-life prince, and given birth to the future heir to the British throne. See Kate's most royal moments here.
This time last year, the Duchess of Cambridge was pregnant with her first child, Prince George. Now she and Prince William are the proud parents of a beautiful baby boy, born July 22, 2013. It's been a busy 12 months for the new mom, to say the least — so it makes sense that she'd want to lay low as she turns another year older.
"The Duchess of Cambridge is spending her birthday privately," a Kensington Palace spokesman tells Us Weekly of Middleton's plans for Thursday, Jan. 9.
A source adds that she's celebrating the occasion quietly with family and a few close friends at Kensington Palace. Her husband, 31, is attending classes at Cambridge University during the day but will be back in London by this evening to be with his wife.
As previously reported, the Duke of Cambridge is studying agricultural management in an effort to gain "an understanding of contemporary issues affecting agricultural business and rural communities in the United Kingdom." His "executive education program" runs 10 weeks and will conclude in mid-March.