From Duchess To Queen Kate's Path To The Throne

She’s bided her time and emerged triumphant

It had none of the bells and whistles of a royal occasion, but for the Duchess of Cambridge, a nice cup of tea and a chin-wag with her husband and kids was just what the doctor ordered on her birthday.

With Britain plunged back into another brutal COVID-19 lockdown, the future queen, who turned 39 on January 9, knew it simply wasn’t the right time for a celebration.

Instead, the mum-of-three hunkered down at her country home, Anmer Hall in Norfolk, enjoying a quiet tea party with her husband Prince William and their kids, George, seven, Charlotte, five, and two-year-old Louis.

APRIL 29, 2011

We do! At 11am, Prince William and a radiant Kate were married in Westminster Abbey.

TIMELINE: Magical moments

JULY 11, 2011

Queen of the red carpet: The new duchess dazzles Hollywood as she attends the BAFTA gala in Los Angeles.

MAY 11, 2012

Teal-ing the show: On one of her first official outings as an ambassador for Britain’s Olympic and Paralympic teams at a gala event at the Royal Albert Hall.

SEPTEMBER 11-19, 2012

Tour de force: On the Singapore, Malaysia, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu leg of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

APRIL 7-25, 2014

Down Under darling: George joins Mum and Dad on their tour of Australia and New Zealand.

MARCH 9, 2015