Prince Charles, queen lead tributes for Prince William as he turns 40

21 June 2022 - 12:30
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Prince William. File image
Prince William. File image
Image: REUTERS/Hannah McKay. File photo

Prince Charles and the queen led birthday wishes on Tuesday for the Duke of Cambridge, Prince William, as he celebrates his 40th birthday.

The heir to the British throne, took to social media to wish his eldest son a happy birthday with a series of images featuring the duo. Charles shared a picture of William as a baby being held by his father while the other three photos feature the two in the intervening years. A simple caption was posted above the pictures: “Wishing The Duke of Cambridge a very happy 40th birthday!”

William's grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, meanwhile shared a series of messages on Twitter on behalf of the royal family to mark the duke's milestone birthday.

This included titbits on his birth, graduation and military training, his marriage to Catherine Middleton in 2011 and the birth of their three children, princes George and Louis and Princess Charlotte.

The account also highlighted the work the prince does on behalf of the queen.

The prince, second in line to the British throne, meanwhile marked the occasion by sharing images and a video of him selling copies on a London street of a magazine that helps to combat homelessness in the UK, saying he was committed to highlighting the problem.

William was spotted in early June standing on a Westminster Street as a vendor for the Big Issue, which is sold by homeless people in Britain as a way of earning money.

“I was 11 when I first visited a homeless shelter with my mother, who in her own inimitable style was determined to shine a light on an overlooked, misunderstood problem,”  William wrote in the magazine's latest issue dated Monday.

“While I may seem like one of the most unlikely advocates for this cause, I have always believed in using my platform to help tell those stories and to bring attention and action to those who are struggling,” William wrote.

“I commit to continue doing what I can to shine a spotlight on this solvable issue not just today, but in the months and years to come.”

— Additional reporting by Reuters

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