The Princess of Wales is set to celebrate her 43rd birthday this week after enduring a challenging year. Kate began 2024 with a hospital visit for an abdominal procedure and subsequently faced cancer treatment for much of the year.
As she looks forward to a brighter 2025, her birthday on January 9 has prompted King Charles III to make a significant adjustment to royal protocol.
According to the Daily Mail’s Ephraim Hardcastle column, the decision has “raised eyebrows”.
In a rare move, King Charles is sending his brother Prince Edward to Washington for the funeral of former US President Jimmy Carter, reports the Scottish Daily Express.
This marks only the third instance of a British royal attending a US president’s funeral, with Charles previously representing the monarchy at Ronald Reagan’s in 2004 and George Bush Senior’s in 2018.
Although it might have been anticipated that a royal of Charles’ former rank would attend Mr Carter’s funeral, Prince William has made it clear to his team that supporting Kate on her special day takes precedence over official duties, ensuring her birthday remains a private celebration with family.
Prince Edward, the 14th in line to the throne, has stepped up alongside his wife Sophie. Their commitment to duty over the past year has won the admiration of both the King and William.
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The King, like Kate, was also absent due to his own battle with cancer, with the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh stepping in on multiple occasions.
Sending Edward to Mr Carter’s funeral is a significant display of trust by Charles, who has previously appeared hesitant to promote him.
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