Loving Life at 40
EXPERIENCE HAS GIFTED THE DUCHESS WITH GRACE, WISDOM AND CONFIDENCE
Ayounger Kate Middleton would have been too bashful to play piano before millions of viewers, but in December she performed a surprise recital on British TV that also acquired an additional 15 million views on the internet. “What a fantastic job she did,” gushes a royal insider. “There is no way the old Kate would have had that courage.”
At 40, the Duchess of Cambridge has come into her own. “There is no rule book,” she says. “You just have to make it up and do the best you can.”
So far, so good! As a wife, mother and working royal, Kate feels very comfortable in her skin. “In 2011, when she married William, she was young, naive and felt intimidated by the royal family,” says the insider. “She’d be nervous around the queen and suffered from terrible anxiety before public appearances, but she’s learned to push herself out of her comfort zone.”
A QUIET CELEBRATION
Prince William, 39, had planned to throw his wife a party to celebrate her Jan. 9 birthday, but the ongoing pandemic made him change plans. “Instead, he has arranged a romantic out-of-town getaway for just the two of them,” confides the insider, who adds that William also surprised Kate with a diamond ring. Meanwhile, their children, George, 8, Charlotte, 6, and Louis, 3, “baked her a multicolored cake. They also handcrafted gifts,” says the insider.
While 40 is a milestone that makes some women shudder, Kate’s happy to look forward. “She has a positive attitude aging," says the insider. “She hopes her four decades of experience will help guide her into this new and exciting chapter of her life.”