Prince William's first priority over palace duties as royal celebrates special day

Although he is known for his committed to the Firm, Prince William has one major priority that overtakes his duties as a royal. The royal, who is celebrating his 43rd birthday today, is said to make sure his family - his wife and their children - remain at the very top of his list of priorities in life.

The future monarch, who wed Princess Kate in 2011, is a proud father to Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 10, and 7-year-old Prince Louis. The couple are known to be protective of their children - even making sure to prioritise family time during their breaks from school.

Today, as the royal celebrates his own special day, he is choosing to make sure that his family have his undivided attention - with William said to be spending the day with Kate, George, Charlotte and Louis.

Last year, for his 42nd birthday, Kate was still undergoing chemotherapy - with the royal deciding to spend the evening of his birthday with George and Charlotte at Taylor Swift's Eras Tour in London.

As well as his wife's health, William's father King Charles had already been diagnosed with cancer last year. The 76-year-old is still currently undergoing treatment on a regular basis.

William previously described 2024 as one of the "hardest [years] of his life".

Taking to their @theprinceandprincessofwales Instagram account, Kensington Palace shared a sweet birthday message to William from his family.

Alongside a picture of William, their beloved dog Orla and her four new puppies, Kate and their children's message read: "Happy birthday! Love C, G, C, L, Orla and the puppies! [dog-paw emoji]."

Posted prior to Kensington Palace's post, King Charles also shared a public message to his eldest son earlier this morning.

The King's message, alongside a picture of William, read, "Happy Birthday to the Prince of Wales [red-balloon emoji] [party-popper emoji]."