Kate Middleton's very rare birthday treat given back after 'financial struggles'

A royal birthday privilege was restored to Kate Middleton yesterday, one year after it was scrapped because of 'financial challenges.' 

• Kate Middleton received a special birthday tribute on Monday that had formerly been withdrawn from her list of royal privileges. 
• Bells rang at Westminster Abbey at 1 pm yesterday to mark the Princess of Wales's 41st birthday, which fell one day before the release of Prince Harry's memoir, Spare. 
• In other royal news, Sophie Wessex's love of red wine and pilates secret to her 'physical wellbeing' ahead of 58th birthday.
  

Kate Middleton received a special treat on Monday in celebration of her 41st birthday, a little more than one year after the Royal Family announced it had scrapped the tradition due to save costs. 

Bells rang at Westminster Abbey in London yesterday to mark the Princess of Wales's big day, less than 24 hours before Prince Harry's bombshell memoir, Spare, hit shelves across the world. The musical tribute is currently reserved for just four royals - King Charles III, Queen Camilla, Prince William, and of course, Kate Middleton. 

However, this hasn't always been the case. In August 2021, Westminster Abbey announced that it would no longer ring its bells for Prince William and Kate Middleton's birthdays. Instead, the regal honor would only apply to the Queen and the then-Prince of Wales. 

“Due to the financial challenges posed to the Abbey by the Covid-19 pandemic, and in consultation with Buckingham Palace, the bells will now ring only for the birthdays of HM The Queen and HRH The Prince of Wales," a spokesperson said. 

However, in light of the Queen's death last September, it appears that this rule has been changed. The bells rang for the Princess of Wales at the historic cathedral at 1 pm yesterday, much to the excitement of royal fans and passing tourists. King Charles III and Queen Camilla also issued a birthday message to the mother-of-three on their shared Twitter and Instagram accounts. 

Kate, having reached the big 4-0 last year, celebrated her most recent birthday privately. The former duchess reportedly spent the day at Adelaide Cottage, where she likely enjoyed the company of her husband, Prince William, and their three children, Prince George, 9, Princess Charlotte, 7, and four-year-old Prince Louis. 

Last year, it's understood the princess hosted a small gathering at Amner Hall to ring in her 40th. The Royal Family also released three portraits of Kate in celebration of the milestone occasion, all of which are now on display at the National Portrait Gallery.