Inside Princess Charlotte’s 6th Birthday Filled With Fun ‘Games,’ ‘Horse Riding’ and More

For Princess Charlotte‘s 6th birthday on May 2, Prince William and Duchess Kate (née Middleton) celebrated their daughter’s special day by doing exactly what she wanted. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge enjoyed a weekend filled with “games,” “horse riding” and more of Charlotte’s favorite activities, an insider exclusively tells Closer Weekly.

“Charlotte wanted to celebrate her birthday at Anmer Hall, so the Cambridges left London and went to their country home,” according to the source. “They spent the long weekend there as a family.”

Charlotte preferred to spend her milestone celebration at their country home because she “loves being at Anmer Hall,” the insider explains. “It’s so private and there is plenty of outdoor space for her to play.”

On the morning of her birthday, Charlotte “was up at the crack of dawn wanting to open her birthday cards and presents,” the source adds, noting Kate, 39, decked out Anmer Hall with decorations. “The night before, Kate filled the sitting room full of balloons and baked a cake.”

Aside from going to “the local stables across the field to go horse riding” — which is “Charlotte’s favorite hobby” — William, 38, Kate and their other kids, sons Prince George, 7, and Prince Louis, 3, partook in “children’s croquet, tennis and football, picking and cooking vegetables from the vegetable garden and making pies.”

The brunette-haired cutie would rather be with her family at Amner Hall than their main home at Kensington Palace, and it’s probably because the Cambridges have a serious set-up when it comes to entertaining their tots.

“The garden is magnificent. William and Kate bought the kids a new swing and slide during lockdown, and there’s a big trampoline,” the insider shares, referring to the extravagant birthday gift Charlotte received last year. And when it’s warm, “the kids love playing tennis and swimming in the pool. William built Charlotte a little outdoor playhouse on the grounds, it’s like her own mini home! She spends hours there.”

While William and Kate — who married in April 2011 — are grooming their kids for their roles in the royal family, the longtime lovebirds are also focused on giving their children the most normal upbringing possible. Despite shielding their kiddos from the public eye, a previous insider told Closer that George, Charlotte and Louis have all embraced the spotlight.

“George has turned into a confident little boy and loves meeting new people, and Charlotte’s a social butterfly!” the source shared in February 2020. “They don’t get nervous in public and are already showing signs of becoming great leaders. Louis has a great personality and is an outgoing child, he has a cute cheeky streak, like his sister.”