Prince William's Silence On Kate Middleton's Birthday Won't Help Mounting Divorce Rumors

Despite a few mishaps, the wedding of William, Prince of Wales, and Catherine, Princess of Wales, was the fairy tale stuff Disney movies are made of. The royal couple have appeared to be happy together in the nearly 15 years since taking their vows, but some skeptical observers have been pointing out signs that a rift is growing between the two. Kate Middleton herself poured gasoline on the divorce rumors shortly after the new year when she appeared without her engagement ring for a visit to Charing Cross Hospital with her husband. (She did, however, leave on her wedding band.) More telling was something William did the very next day — or, rather, what he didn't do.

January 9, 2026, was the princess' 44th birthday. The palace honored the occasion with a greeting from the official @RoyalFamily feed on X, formerly Twitter: "Wishing a Happy Birthday to The Princess of Wales!" Yet there was no such acknowledgment on William and Kate's social media; in fact, the only post on the @princeandprincessofwales accounts was the last of Kate's "Mother Nature" videos, a four-part series featuring the princess appreciating the natural environment and reflecting on "how nature has helped me heal," as she wrote. The post got nearly 138,000 likes on Instagram, plus plenty of birthday greetings from followers. But the lack of a shout-out from her own husband was surprising — especially since Kate had given one to William on his June 21 birthday. It featured a photo of the prince cuddling their dog's litter of puppies; it doesn't get much cuter than that. 

Social media is difficult enough to navigate for us commoners. For the British royals, it's trickier still, and those who don't know the protocols may misinterpret the palace's posts. Birthdays are one major example. While the royal family has appeared to snub Prince Harry's children on their birthdays, it's not an act of revenge. Typically, only working royals get the honor of an Instagram or X greeting, though the palace has been known to make a surprising exception. The Firm acknowledged Harry's 40th birthday in 2024, perhaps because it was a milestone year.

The Prince and Princess of Wales, on the other hand, appear to have more freedom over what they post on their accounts. They even defy the British stiff-upper-lip stereotype by getting openly sentimental. On Father's Day 2025, Catherine shared a message that included "We love you!" Even more touching was William's tribute on his wife's 2025 birthday, calling her "the most incredible wife and mother," praising her strength, sharing his pride, and — yes — adding "We love you." 

So why the silence this year? Only the Waleses know the answer. William and Kate are busy with their move to their new house, along with their royal engagements and various parenting duties, so perhaps the future king didn't have time to create a post. Perhaps the princess asked her husband to skip the online greetings this time around. Yes, there might be some tension within the royal marriage; indifference toward a spouse is a major red flag. But as long as William is still there for his wife in other ways, as he did when she was in the midst of cancer treatments, their union should remain strong.