How British royals celebrate birthdays: as Prince George turns 8, we remember Prince William’s ‘boobs cake’ from Princess Diana and Queen Elizabeth’s star-studded parties

Jul 22 , 2021

From Prince William to Queen Elizabeth, the British royals have had some unforgettable birthdays over the years. Photo: Getty, AP

According to a royal chef, Princess Diana arranged for Prince William to celebrate his 13th birthday with a naughty cake said to resemble a pair of breasts

Tom Jones, Kylie Minogue, Sting, Shaggy and Shawn Mendes all performed at Queen Elizabeth’s more conventional, but ostentatious, 92nd birthday celebrations

When it comes to celebrating birthdays, most of us appreciate a cake, a few treats and a little get together – there’s little better than friends and family gathering to toast the day you graced their world. But when you’re a British royal, things are a little different, to say the least.

As Prince George turns eight today, he’s probably not yet old enough for some of these royal celebrations ... but what might the future king look forward to once he’s older? We look back at some memorable royal birthdays of years past.

Some like to keep it low key

Prince George on his third birthday. Photo: @KensingtonRoyal/Twitter

Most of us can’t even imagine the kind of entertainment budgets that the royals have at their disposal, but the fact is that most royal family members prefer to keep their celebrations, well, slightly boring. Compared to the kind of epic bashes we’ve become used to seeing US celebrity kids throwing – and advertising on Instagram – anyway.

Britain’s Prince William with a balloon given to him by a member of the public in Newport, Wales, where he accompanied his father Prince Charles as part of the celebrations marking his 21st birthday in 2003. Photo: AP Photo

Over the past few years, Prince William and Kate Middleton have chosen to spend their birthdays at home, and even their kids have had to go to school on the big day, just like any other “normal” British kid. They might then only get a minor spoil when they’re back at home with their siblings.

The Cambridges have also started a tradition of celebrating their kids’ birthdays by releasing portraits on social media, often taken by the duchess herself – how relatable.

Diana’s saucy surprise for teenage William

Britain’s Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, and Princess Diana take home their newborn son Prince William, as they leave St. Mary’s Hospital in London, in 1982. Photo: AP