Kate Middleton pays tribute to Queen, Diana and Prince William in 40th birthday pics: Fans say future queen

The Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, paid a touching tribute to two of the most iconic Royal women in history with her new birthday portraits. The Royal turned 40 today, January 9, and the Kensington Palace released three stunning new portraits. Kate included a nod to Queen Elizabeth, Princess Diana and Prince William in the milestone pictures. They are already creating quite the buzz on social media.

The first photo is a black-and-white portrait of Kate in an ethereal white gown and staring off into the distance. Kate wore diamond and pearl drop earrings and a sapphire ring for the photos. Both the jewellery items belonged to her late mother-in-law Princess Diana. In fact, for the uninitiated, the ring is the late Royal’s iconic engagement ring, and Kate displayed it in full view.

The other portrait shows Kate wearing a red satin one-shoulder gown with a glittering pair of diamond drop earrings that belong to Queen Elizabeth. The Duchess of Cambridge has worn jewellery from the Queen and Princess Diana’s collection on several occasions. She even channels Princess Diana through her style.

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Kate chose a white tulle gown for the first portrait, reminiscent of the Victorian era, with an ethereal touch added because of her wavy tresses. It features an off-the-shoulder neckline with bow ties, cinched waist, flowy taffeta skirt and pleated details on the torso.

The striking red gown Kate chose for the portraits is by Alexander McQueen. The one-shoulder dress features an exaggerated sleeve, cinched-in waist, flowy skirt with pleats, and pockets. The choice of designer is also a fitting tribute to her wedding to Prince William in 2011, as she notably wore a dress made by the designer.

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Kate’s pictures garnered several likes and comments from her fans. They took to the comments section to drop a wish on her birthday. One user wrote, “Happy birthday to her, future Queen of England.” Another commented, “Elegantly exquisite.”

The portraits, photographed by Paolo Roversi, will be a permanent collection of the National Portrait Gallery, of which the Duchess is a patron, in celebration of this milestone birthday.