The Duchess of Cambridge is expected to scale back plans for her 40th birthday to celebrate with 'just family and close friends' instead of a big party due to Covid fears.
Kate, 39, had a muted Christmas and is expected to do the same for her birthday on Sunday January 9 as Omicron continues to rip across the UK.
The Queen cancelled plans to host the traditional Christmas at Sandringham with the Royal Family leaving the Cambridges to host the Middleton's instead at their Norfolk home, Anmer Hall.
Last year Kate spent her birthday in lockdown with husband William, 39, and their three children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
Prince William reportedly hosted a tea party for the family-of-five at their country home on the Sandringham estate.
This year any celebrations are expected to be "low-key", with the Duchess reportedly not wanting anything flashy for the milestone birthday.
Kensington Palace is expected to release a new photo of the mum-of-three to mark the occasion.
A source told the Mail on Sunday : "There are likely to be low-key celebrations for the Duchess. She didn’t want anything flashy anyway – that’s not exactly her thing – but particularly given the current climate anything is likely to be scaled down."
It comes after royal author Duncan Larcombe told OK! : "Kate and William are not the sort to go away to celebrate on their own and leave the kids at home.
“I think the same will apply to Kate’s birthday as it does to Christmas - it will be low key and it will be focused entirely on the family.”
Kate's sister-in-law Meghan Markle celebrated her 40th birthday last August by launching her 40x40 scheme with a comedy video featuring Hollywood actress Melissa McCarthy.
The Duchess of Cambridge will also miss out on a traditional birthday honour of the bells being rung at Westminster Abbey for senior members of the Royal Family due to cost-cutting changes.
The bells will no longer be rung for the birthdays of Princess Ann, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward, or the Duchess of Cornwall and it is the same for the Cambridges and their children, reports Hello magazine.
In future they will only be heard for the Queen and Prince Charles.
Last year, the Abbey said: "Due to the financial challenges posed to the Abbey by the Covid-19 pandemic, and in consultation with Buckingham Palace, the bells will now ring only for the birthdays of HM The Queen and HRH The Prince of Wales."
