The Princess of Wales has declared “we all love you so much” in a personal message to the Prince of Wales on his 42nd birthday.

Kate said “Happy birthday Papa, we all love you so much! Cx” in a post on social media on Friday morning.

A photo of William and their three children jumping in the air and holding hands, taken by Kate in Norfolk, England, in June, was posted alongside the message.

It came the morning after William, president of the FA, was pictured alongside Denmark’s King Frederick as England drew 1-1 with Denmark in Frankfurt, Germany, in their second match of Euro 2024.

On Wednesday, William joined Kate’s parents at Royal Ascot along with a host of royals including the Queen.

William has faced a challenging 12 months with both Kate and his father the King diagnosed with cancer.

His birthday comes amid speculation the future King supports his father’s slimmed-down approach to the monarchy and that William might not want his younger children Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis to be working royals.

The Daily Mail’s Richard Eden reported a friend of William told him: “When the older members of the family retire, His Royal Highness won’t be inviting anyone else to become working royals.

“It remains to be seen if he will even want his two younger children to be working royals.”

Prince George, 10, is a future king, but third in line Charlotte, 9, and fourth in line Louis, 6, are spares to the heir and therefore are not expected to reign as monarch.

Kate returned briefly to the public limelight at Trooping the Colour last weekend with William and their three children.

But in a personal message, the princess revealed that although she is making good progress, she is “not out of the woods yet”.

Kate told how she has good days and bad days and is facing a few more months of chemotherapy.

She first announced she was undergoing treatment for cancer in a video message in March.

Prince William Arthur Philip Louis of Wales is the first-born son of the King and the late Diana, Princess of Wales.