The Queen Is Already Making Big Plans for Prince William’s 40th Birthday

The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years of her reign—the longest of any monarch in British history—kicks off this weekend, while the parades, bank holidays, and special ceremonies will keep going throughout the year. But if you’re concerned about how all the festivities will affect the 95-year-old Queen, don’t be: She’s already planning the next big party for immediately after her own. 

That’s because her grandson Prince William, future King of England, has his own milestone coming up this year. On June 21, William turns 40—following behind Kate, whose own 40th she celebrated last month with the unveiling of three gorgeous new portraits—and the Queen is reportedly already making plans. 

According to the Mirror, royal expert Chris Andersen told Us Weekly magazine that the Queen has “a big thing planned” for William this year. Andersen, who authored the book Brothers and Wives: Inside the Private Lives of William, Kate, Harry, and Meghan, explained, “The Queen has a big thing planned for William and he is going to throw something as well. There will be big parties again, if Covid allows anything like that to happen."

As for what that something is, we may just have to wait and see. It’ll likely be a departure from Kate’s birthday celebrations, which were markedly low-key. (Prince William and their children, George, 8, Charlotte, 6, and Louis, 3, reportedly threw her a private little soiree, per her wishes.) 

But the point remains that even if the Queen goes hard for her Platinum Jubilee, she’s still got plenty more partying where that came from for the remainder of the year. Here’s hoping we get an invite.