Prince William spends 26th birthday with girlfriend

Lovebirds Prince William and Kate Middleton have fun on his birthday

Saturday, 21 June 2008

Add one more photographer to those snapping away at Prince William – his girlfriend.

Amateur shutterbug Kate Middleton got a close-up of William when they goofed around at a polo match on his birthday Saturday.

The royal lovebirds were under a gazebo on the drizzly mid-summer's day in Gloucestershire, England, when Middleton, 26, took out her camera. She shot away, gleefully showing both William – who turned 26 – and his group of pals the images on her digital camera.

"She was happy to show her pictures to everyone," says a witness.

The prince and Middleton, who have been dating for about six years, have been spending a lot of time together before he heads away for several weeks. William will soon take to the seas to conduct a tour in the Caribbean for the Royal Navy.

Earlier this month, he and Prince Harry, 23, took their girlfriends on a double date to a charity boxing match, and last Monday Middleton was seen laughing alongside Harry as they watched William parade through Windsor Castle's grounds in spectacular ostrich-plumed hat and flowing robes on the day he was made a knight.

By Simon Perry