Kate Middleton breaks royal rule as Prince William takes key power from King

Prince William’s beloved wife Kate Middleton reveals the future of monarchy with latest move

Princess Kate is ready to set her own traditions as her husband Prince William set to take over the throne.

The Princess of Wales has seemingly hinted at the future of monarchy with her latest move.

For the unversed, Catherine celebrated her 43rd birthday on January 9. The Wales family paid a heartfelt tribute to the Princess by sharing a black and white portrait of her.

Analysing Kate’s photo, body language expert Judi James claimed that the mother of Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis is breaking traditional royal rules with modern posing.

The expert told Fabulous Magazine, “This very stylish monochrome pose could have come straight from a fashion spread but Kate has suffused it with hi-five nods and signals that express both her character, her current emotional state and her intrinsic bonds of unique empathy with the late Queen.”

Judi believes the Princess paid homage to Queen Elizabeth II by mimicking a similar pose to Her Majesty.

“The expression of utter joy and excitement on the late Queen’s face as she broke her own mother’s rule and expressed herself in some Vogue-style poses looks mirrored by Kate here…” stated the expert.

Notably, Judi believes that the next Queen in line “won’t be as restrained by as many rules and regulations” especially after reports that William “is seizing the opportunity” of his ailing father King Charles to prepare himself sooner for the crown and “to make decisions that he feels will benefit the Crown in the long run.”

Princess Kate Isn’t Always “Well Enough” for Royal Duties, but She’s Learning to “Pace” Herself

Kate Middleton celebrated her 43rd birthday on Jan. 9, but the royal isn’t rushing to return to full-time royal duties. According to a new report, the Princess of Wales is “prioritizing her health” after an extremely challenging year.

Royal fans were delighted when Princess Kate returned to the royal spotlight at the end of 2024. However, the royal has apparently changed her outlook after being diagnosed with cancer and undergoing preventative chemotherapy. “She is looking after herself and is wise to do so,” a source told People. “She will know when she wakes up if she is well enough or not [to do something].”

Meanwhile, Robert Hardman, who recently wrote The Making of a King: Charles III and the Modern Monarchy, told the outlet, “We are being encouraged not to look at this as a chapter that’s over and then it’s back to normal, because cancer doesn’t work like that.” He continued, “The details remain private but there’s no getting over the reality that it’s an unpredictable disease.”

Luckily, Princess Kate has been able to return to work on her own schedule, which has reportedly allowed her to manage her health. “She has been allowed to get back in her own way,” a source told People. “She has been able to pace it and do it her way, and that’s great.”

Ultimately, it would seem that Princess Kate’s closest family members have aided in her recovery. “Family has seen [Kate] through thick and thin this year,” a so-called “insider” said. “There is a sense of optimism going forward.”

In an interview with Marie Claire, Hardman suggested that 2025 would present some sort of normalcy for the Royal Family. “I would say 2025, I’m sure everyone just hopes that it will be a year of resetting, or it’ll be the year of reset,” he told senior royal editor Kristin Contino. “It’ll be the year of going back to the way we were at the end of 2023 of regular, or semi-regular duties.”

Hardman continued, “I think what we will see with her is…we’ll see a lot more of her undertaking public engagements, but I still wouldn’t imagine being back to 2023 levels.”

Kate Middleton Is Serene in New Birthday Photo as Prince William Says, ‘We Love You’

William celebrated Kate’s “remarkable” strength in the post released on Thursday, Jan. 9

Prince William is celebrating his love and admiration for Kate Middleton as she marks her 43rd birthday.

In a message posted to the couple’s social media, William, 42, paid tribute to Kate after a year in which she had a major operation, a cancer diagnosis and debilitating chemotherapy treatment.

“To the most incredible wife and mother,” he wrote on Thursday, Jan. 9. “The strength you’ve shown over the last year has been remarkable. George, Charlotte, Louis and I are so proud of you. Happy Birthday, Catherine.”

“We love you. W,” he closed the message.

It was coupled with a stunning previously-unseen portrait of the princess, taken by Matt Porteous, in Windsor, last summer.

William and Kate don’t often post personal messages on their social media and this marked a rare public declaration of William’s love and support for his wife who has been through so much since her last birthday.

She is spending the day at home at Adelaide Cottage, Windsor with her husband Prince William and children Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6, who returned to school after the Christmas break on Jan. 8.

Princess Kate was most recently seen on Christmas Day, as she and the royal family led by King Charles walked to and from church at Sandringham, Norfolk. She was in her element as she chatted with well-wishers, and many of her meaningful conversations with those gathered were about cancer.

In March 2024, Princess Kate announced that she was undergoing treatment for cancer and shared in September that she completed chemo. In a rare revelation at her Together at Christmas carol service in December, Kate said, “I didn’t know this year was going to be the year that I’ve just had.”

Since announcing the end of her chemotherapy in a moving and intimate family video in September 2024, she has continued her gradual recovery. In November, Kate appeared at the Remembrance weekend honoring the fallen British and Commonwealth armed services members.

Robert Hardman, author of The Making of a King: Charles III and the Modern Monarchy, tells PEOPLE that the princess is still on the mend, however.

“We are being encouraged not to look at this as a chapter that’s over and then it’s back to normal, because cancer doesn’t work like that,” Hardman tells PEOPLE. “The details remain private but there’s no getting over the reality that it’s an unpredictable disease.”

“The clue is in her phrase ‘one day at a time’ — that’s how she’s going to approach it,” adds Hardman, referring to a line in her Sept. 9 announcement about completing chemo.

The Princess of Wales said in that video message, “Doing what I can to stay cancer-free is now my focus. Although I have finished chemotherapy, my path to healing and full recovery is long and I must continue to take each day as it comes.”

Adds a source, “She has been allowed to get back in her own way. She has been able to pace it and do it her way, and that’s great.”