The Queen pays tribute to Prince William on his 40th birthday with series of adorable photos

Queen's tribute to Prince William on his 40th birthday has delighted royal fans as Her Majesty shares sweet images of the Duke of Cambridge over the past four decades. 

• Prince William celebrated his 40th birthday on Tuesday, June 21, 2022.
• In celebration of her grandson's birthday, the Queen posted a heartfelt message on social media.
• In other royal news, Sophie Wessex's polka dot dress is the summer look of dreams - no wonder she's re-wearing it for royal tour of Cyprus.

Seven images of the Queen and the Duke of Cambridge were posted on the Royal Family's Instagram page in celebration of Prince William's birthday. The post included recent pictures, old images of the Prince's time in the RAF and during his royal duties, and young photos of the Prince as a child.

The post from the Royal Family read, "Happy 40th Birthday to The Duke of Cambridge! 🥳 Prince William Arthur Philip Louis is the elder son of The Prince of Wales and Diana, Princess of Wales."

The post then spoke specifically about his birth. "He was born at 9.03pm on 21 June 1982, at St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, London. A bulletin, placed on the gates of Buckingham Palace announced that he weighed 7lb 1 1/2 oz," read the post.

On Twitter, the Royal Family shared a more detailed post and included images of the Prince's birth announcement, his marriage, and other major milestones in the Duke's life. The post then spoke about his children and his current public and official duties as a member of the Royal Family.

Fans loved this heartfelt message from the Queen to her future heir, and many took to social media to wish the Duke well on this milestone day.

"Wonderful thread in honor of Prince William's 40th Birthday! Wishing Prince William the happiest of birthdays with his beautiful family!" said one fan on Twitter.

Others loved the sweet images of Prince William with his grandmother, particularly when the Duke attempted to suppress a grin while trying to be composed for a royal engagement. "What a wonderful picture - The Duke of Cambridge’s smile as his Grandmother, the Queen of England passes him in his cadet uniform," said a fan.

Although the Duke turned 40 on Tuesday, Prince William had to delay his 40th birthday party for a special reason. Reportedly, the Prince is set to have a big celebration later in the summer which will also celebrate Kate Middleton, who turned 40 in January. 

This rumored joint party will take place at either Windsor Castle or Sandringham House, but it has not yet been officially confirmed.