'$153K' Birthday Gift: Prince William Pulled Out All Stops for Kate Middleton’s Special Day After Past Presents 'Didn't Go Down Well'

Kate, Princess of Wales, turned 42 on Tuesday, January 9, and her husband, Prince William, likely spared no expense for his gift for a future queen! This is due to years of experience making up for past mistakes, such as when the king-in-waiting bought her a $153,000 dollar Cartier set that she wore to the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

The centerpiece of the set is an 18-carat chain with pavé diamonds as well as three intertwined circles of pink, yellow and white gold. Although it hasn't yet been revealed what presents the future King William V may have bought for his future Queen Catherine this year, the heir to the throne is very careful when buying Kate keepsakes.

The then Duke of Cambridge spoke on the "That Peter Crouch Podcast" back in 2020, where he told guests he bought his Duchess a pair of binoculars. "I wrapped them. They were really nice. I was trying to convince myself about it. I was like, 'But these are really amazing; look how far you can see!' She was looking at me, [and] going, 'They're binoculars. What's going on?' It didn't go well. Honestly, I have no idea why I bought her a pair of binoculars," the prince embarrassingly shared.

William's virtual appearance on the podcast was one of many he undertook during the locked-down first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although he broke the ice by not being self-conscious about sharing a cringe moment from his past, the prince also spoke about mental health, which he champions along with his wife, and formerly with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle during the brief era when they all were "the fab four."

"We all have mental health, and we all have to stay mentally fit ... It's a strength to talk about your mental health. It's not a weakness. You know if you're not feeling well, something's bothering you; talk about it — it's not a problem," the future Prince of Wales added.

Although the couple has had their ups and downs — including a "fiery rows" rumor cycle in 2023 along with possible issues with William's friends when they were dating — the future King and Queen of Great Britain, and the parents of Princes George and Louis and Princess Charlotte are fiercely dedicated to their work, their family, their causes and the monarchy.

The Sun reported on William's gifts.