Kate Turns 31: What is She Getting This Year?

Kate turns 31 today, and much the same as last year, she is celebrating in a low key fashion. Not exactly headline news. She is pregnant and suffers from harsh morning sickness, no one expects her to be hitting the tiles.  Big annual events like birthdays do tend to elicit a certain amount of nostalgia. Where was I last year? Who was I with? Never thought I would be here a year later, yadyadayada.

One of my favorite birthdays was Kate's 26th in 2008.  That year she did hit the town with Pippa for some single-girl partying and there were plenty of photos.  Although, William was not with her that night, the two had recently reconciled after their very painful April split the year before.  Papers were speculating that a royal engagement was imminent, and although we all had several more years of waiting in store, the couple was together for keeps. She was clearly one happy--and well dressed--lady as she made the rounds near trendy Sloane Square. This is also an interesting birthday, because it is the last that she celebrated out and about in London. I think she spent her 27th with her parents in Berkshire, her 28th with William at Balmoral, and her 29th quietly with William as she took a break from planning the Wedding of...well at least the decade. 

Above, Kate smiles as she returns to her apartment from work on her 26th birthday--January 9th, 2008.  Later that night, in these photos below, Kate celebrates with her sister Pippa in that famous white coat that everyone loves, and as far as I know, remains an UFO.

When Kate isn't pictured on her birthday, papers seem to fill the void with very interesting birthday stories. I think it was 2009 that it was reported that Kate's dog at the time ate the heirloom pearl earrings that William had gifted her. Apparently, retrieval had to wait for nature to take its course. And the next year, unconfirmed rumors spread that the two had a double bath installed in their Scottish retreat... Maybe some stories should be left to the fade into the fog of time.

This year the gift chatter is better and expensive. The Mirror reports:

St James's Palace has said the Duchess will be marking her birthday "privately".
Kate is thought to be with her husband William at their home in north Wales where the Duke works as an RAF Search and Rescue helicopter pilot.

BUT, The Standard adds:

It was recently claimed that William plans to buy Kate a country estate as a birthday gift so they have a retreat out of the city after they move into their apartment in Kensington Palace.
A source said: "They've talked about getting a place where they can get away from it all. And now William has narrowed down the list to a few incredible places in Hampshire and Buckinghamshire around the £5 million mark. They don't want to be too close to London as they are already based in Kensington Palace.

This comes right on the heels of the story that the Queen will give them a large home on her Sandringham estate. I am skeptical of all these house stories. There sure are a lot of houses in the mix right now. How many homes can one settle into all at once?  We have yet to hear what William's career plans are. How soon will the Cambridges be full-time royals?  Big houses require staff--as Downton Abbey teaches us--and Wills and Kate have resisted help from the start.  Lots of houses someday? Obviously, yes, but I am not so sure we will see real estate developments in the near future. Unlike stories of pearl earrings and private bathtubs, time will tell on this one.

"William has gathered together various property details from some high-end retail estates which he will give to her on her birthday on January 9."

I am a flowers and jewelry girl. Flowers to start the day, and something sparkly to close the evening, but I guess I could settle for a country getaway.

Happy Birthday, Kate, whatever your gift may be!