Kate ‘enjoyed birthday lunch at French bistro in Berkshire’,
The Princess of Wales reportedly celebrated her 44th birthday by having lunch at a ‘teeny’ Berkshire bistro – with staff praising her ‘charm and grace’.
Kate, who grew up in the area, was said to have joined her mother Carole Middleton, 70, and sister Pippa, 42, for a meal at a French cafe in Hungerford.
Proudly taking to social media, The Funghi Club, which offers affordable food – all of which appears to be under £25 as per its a la carte menu – commemorated their ‘rather extraordinary guest’.
‘No photos to share (you’ll understand why), but the entire team on duty reported the same thing: she was utterly charming, gracious and every bit as radiant in person as you’d imagine,’ the Facebook post read.
‘The jungle drums of Hungerford didn’t stop beating until well into Saturday. A little moment of magic for our small bistro – and one we won’t forget in a hurry.’
The Daily Mail has reached out to the Palace for comment.
The Funghi Club, which also has locations in Marlborough, where Kate went to school, boasts a ‘relaxed and carefree feeling, with no strict rules between starters, mains, or desserts’.
They ‘take pride in offering delicious, seasonal dishes and excellent value for money while providing a delightful dining experience with warm service’.
Dishes at the Hungerford branch, where they say Kate dined, include a £9 onion soup, £10 pork terrine and, if you were wanting to splurge, a £21 beef bourguignon.
It is not known if the Princess enjoyed a birthday tipple or not, but as well as offering soft drinks, the cafe had wines and cocktails available.
The bistro looks to be a hit with non-royals too, racking up a score of 4.6 stars out of 5 on Google.
‘Popped in for a coffee and light lunch. Wow, what a find. Lovely reception from Nathan who quickly found us a table. Nice, clean decor,’ one review said.
‘Spoilt for choice by the menu – so many things we wanted to try. The only option was to reserve a table at the Marlborough branch for the following day.
‘My wife had the turkey baguette, which was immense. Lovely, tasty turkey (unlike the bland offerings served elsewhere) wrapped in Alcace bacon plus tasty brie and homemade cranberry sauce on the side. I had the quiche lorraine, which was really tasty with lots of the same Alcace bacon. All in all, wonderful – worth driving from Warwickshire to try again.’
‘An unforgettable meal at The Funghi Club!’ another added. ‘Every dish we tried was bursting with authentic French flavour and beautifully prepared.’
The eatery’s supporters were delighted by the Princess’s visit, commenting: ‘How amazing that she visited a local business and what great advertising for you.’
‘Fantastic! She has great taste in food!’ one shared, while another added: ‘She knows the best place to go for lunch in Berkshire!’
On January 9, Kate also marked her 44th birthday with a ‘deeply personal’ video about the comfort she has taken from nature during her cancer treatment, saying how ‘deeply grateful’ she is ‘to discover what it means to be alive’.
Kensington Palace released the final instalment of their year-long ‘Mother Nature’ video series – Winter – which has a voice-over from Catherine and features footage of her on an early morning walk in Berkshire, close to her Windsor home.
An aide described the release as, ‘The culmination of a deeply personal creative project for The Princess, spotlighting humanity’s longstanding connection to nature, as well as nature’s capacity to inspire us and help us to heal and grow in mind, body and spirit.’
In the voiceover for the Winter episode, Her Royal Highness reflected personally on her own journey and healing over the past two years, talking of her ‘fears’ and ‘tears’, as well as her healing and how she is ‘deeply grateful’.
She said: ‘Even in the coldest, darkest season, winter has a way of bringing us stillness, patience and quiet consideration.
‘Where the stream slows just enough for us to see our own reflection.
‘To discover the deepest parts of ourselves. Alongside the whispers in the pulse of every living thing.
‘I find myself reflecting on how deeply grateful I am.
‘For the rivers within us flow with ease, fears washed away, cleanse and purify. Come to peace with our tears and discover what it means to be alive.
‘To be at one with nature; a quiet teacher and a soft voice that guides. In memory. Helping us to heal.’
There was also a personally-penned caption saying: ‘The Mother Nature series has been a deeply personal, creative reflection on how nature has helped me heal. But it is also a story about the power of nature and creativity in collective healing.
‘There is so much we can learn from mother nature, as we look to build a happier, healthier world. C.’
The Princess underwent major abdominal surgery in January 2024 after which doctors found evidence of cancer and she underwent a course of gruelling preventative chemotherapy.
She announced the news personally in a video message that March.
In September the same year she also revealed the news that she had completed treatment but warned that her recovery and return to royal duties would be slow but steady.
In January last year she gave the good news that she was finally in remission but again asked for public understanding about her return to public life.
