Royals
Princess Kate Rings in 44 With Intimate Bistro Birthday — Staff Call Her ‘Utterly Charming’
Princess Kate kept her 44th birthday refreshingly low-key and local. On Friday, January 9, the Princess of Wales reportedly slipped into The Funghi Club, a cozy French bistro in Hungerford, Berkshire, for a private lunch with her mother, Carole Middleton, and sister, Pippa Matthews.
According to a now-viral Facebook post from the restaurant, Kate was “utterly charming, gracious and radiant” during the intimate celebration. Staff admitted the royal visit sent “a fizz of excitement through the whole place,” calling it a “moment of magic” for the tiny neighborhood spot.
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The birthday trio reportedly enjoyed the bistro’s affordable French fare — from Beef Bourguignon to escargots and soufflés — though no photos were taken out of respect for the Princess’s privacy.
Kate’s understated outing comes amid a busy start to the year. The day before her birthday, she joined Prince William at Charing Cross Hospital to support frontline staff during a difficult winter season. And, instead of releasing a traditional birthday portrait, Kensington Palace shared an emotional nature-themed video of Kate reflecting on gratitude and healing.
“Alongside the whispers in the pulse of every living thing, I find myself reflecting on how deeply grateful I am,” she says in the video of her strolling along a scenic winterscape.
