Kate Middleton marks 44th birthday by breaking royal tradition as she reflects on 'what it means to be alive'

We’ve come to expect the Princess of Wales’s birthday to be marked by Prince William and their children by releasing a special photo on social media, however this year things were done a little differently. Steering away from this tradition, Kate took the reins and shared a video paying tribute to nature.

Although she didn’t mention her 44th birthday, it’s clear that Kate’s in a reflective mood and this often comes with turning another year older. At first watch it’s a beautiful nod to winter, but in light of all she’s been through in recent years, it takes on special significance.

"Even in the coldest, darkest season, winter has a way of bringing us stillness, patience, and quiet consideration. Where the stream slows just enough for us to see our own reflection, to discover the deepest parts of ourselves, alongside the whispers and the pulses of every living thing. I find myself reflecting on how deeply grateful I am," she says.

The Princess described how the "rivers within us flow with ease", cleansing and purifying and helping us "come to peace with our tears and discover what it means to be alive". To Kate, nature is a "quiet teacher and a soft voice that guides", helping "to heal".

Alongside her serene narration are clips of the natural world covered in wintery frost, with the Princess walking through the countryside wearing a Really Wild Baker Boy hat, cosy jacket and other practical pieces. This video comes just a few days before the one year anniversary of Kate announcing she was in remission.

Last year she launched her Mother Nature series, posting a different clip for each season like she has here. The Princess of Wales found comfort in the natural world during her treatment and said in her Mother’s Day post that it was a "sanctuary" for the Wales family over the past year.

Kate’s birthday video shows that getting out in nature is still massively important to her. She made a clear choice, knowing fans would all be looking to her social media channels on her birthday, to use her post to further something she believes in, rather than focusing on herself.

It’s possible that Prince William could also go on to share a snap of his wife to mark her turning 44, but the Princess of Wales’s video took precedence. The couple are likely spending her birthday together and might have plans with George, Charlotte and Louis over the weekend.

We won’t know exactly how Kate celebrated, though given everything she said in her winter video, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if a country walk or weekend away at their Norfolk home, Anmer Hall, was on the cards.

Even before her diagnosis, the Princess thought of being in the great outdoors with her loved ones as her ideal place.

Speaking on Giovanna Fletcher’s Happy Mum, Happy Baby podcast in 2020, Kate was asked - as all guests are - to finish the host’s sentence: "I’m happy when…" and she responded, "I'm with my family outside in the countryside and we're all filthy dirty."

This sounds like a pretty good way to mark a birthday too and would allow her to have a moment of "stillness, patience, and quiet consideration" away from the demands of her royal role.