Duchess Kate's Birthday Reply - 2018

I had written in January for Duchess Kate's Birthday. This is the 2nd time I've received my reply for Kate's Birthday before the Cambridge Christmas reply. The correspondence section at Clarence House is always very busy over the holidays, and especially this year with Prince Harry & Meghan Markle's engagement. 

The reply is the usual photo card. On the front is a photo of Duchess Kate taken during the Cambridge's 2016 Tour of Canada. It is the same photo used for last year's reply. It is very common for them to reuse a photo for a number of years or events. 

This year's photo is a little different as they have added a white border. Below, you can see the 2017 & 2018 replies side by side. They used to not do a white border on these photo cards, just Camilla's larger ones. But in the last year or so, I've seen it on almost all the replies from Clarence House. Personally, I'm not a fan of the white border, it makes the photo so much smaller and doesn't seem as elegant. But it seems like they have made the decision to switch.

Kate's 2017 & 2018 Birthday Reply

The back of the card features a new thank you message. All the past birthday replies from Kate, I've gotten, had the same message on the back. It is nice to see them change it up this year. I especially like that they've added her age. It is nice to have something that dates the card, given that they don't have a date on it.

The card says: 

The Duchess of Cambridge is most grateful for the very kind message you sent on the occasion of her 36th birthday. 

Her Royal Highness greatly appreciated your thoughtfulness and sends you her warmest thanks and best wishes. 

More replies from the Cambridges