A new year always brings with it a renewed sense of hope and if there is one person who will be eagerly looking forward to a fresh start, it’s the Princess of Wales . After what has been the most difficult 12 months of her life, Catherine has cause for celebration in the coming days as she will mark her 43rd birthday on 9 January. “This birthday is going to be memorable in so many ways – it will mark the start of a new and hopefully happier year, and the end of one that has been brutal for the