After a busy Christmas with the Queen at Sandringham and a raucous New Year with Kate’s family at the Middleton Manor in Berkshire, the Duchess is said to be keen to avoid a big party.
Instead of heading out on the town or going to a friend’s place, Kate will remain at home in Kensington Palace but her big day will be far from boring – it is likely her family will drop in for a quiet dinner, as they did last year, and William is a famously thoughtful gift-giver.
In 2009, he surprised Kate with a romantic candle-lit dinner in a remote log cabin on the banks of a picturesque river in Scotland, while in 2011 he bought her a cocker spaniel puppy, a breed Kate had loved since childhood.
His presents aren’t always so well-received, however. In 2010, he reportedly bought Kate a pair of pearl earrings which she “adored” – until they were swallowed by the family dog.
