Princess Charlotte Stars in New Portrait for Her 9th Birthday Taken by Kate Middleton
Princess Kate and Prince William’s daughter continued a royal tradition dating back to when Prince George was a baby.
Princess Charlotte is celebrating her 9th birthday with a beautiful new portrait, taken by none other than her mother, Kate Middleton. The proud parents shared this charming photo on May 2, marking Charlotte’s last year in single digits.
The loving message accompanying the photo from the Princess of Wales read, “Happy 9th Birthday, Princess Charlotte! 🎂 Thank you for all of the kind messages today. 📸 The Princess of Wales.” In the picture, Princess Charlotte is seen smiling warmly at the camera, leaning on a flowery hedge, while donning a maroon cardigan and a blue denim skirt.
This delightful portrait was also shared on the royal family’s official Instagram and X pages, which regularly provide updates on King Charles, Queen Camilla, and other members of the royal family.
Westminster Abbey joined in the birthday celebrations by posting a photo of Princess Charlotte from King Charles and Queen Camilla’s coronation ceremony nearly a year ago. The image captured Charlotte sitting between her parents and looking at something in her mother’s lap inside the historic venue. The Abbey’s message read, “Wishing Princess Charlotte a very happy 9th birthday!”
However, Westminster Abbey’s bells did not ring in honor of her birthday. The last occasion they did was in 2019. Since then, the tradition has been reserved for a select number of royal family members: King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William, and Princess Kate.
This new photo of Princess Charlotte follows closely on the heels of another special family celebration: Prince Louis’ 6th birthday on April 23. Kate Middleton shared an endearing photo of their youngest child sitting on a blanket in the grass with a wide smile, proudly showing off a gap where he had lost a tooth.
While there had been some uncertainty about whether new photos would be released for Louis’ birthday, Kate Middleton clarified that the photograph taken by Prince William earlier in March, which had raised concerns of manipulation, was simply an edited family endeavor to mark Mother’s Day in the U.K. “I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused,” Kate stated.
The image of Princess Charlotte, however, has not been edited.
The tradition of releasing new portraits of their children on their birthdays was started by Prince William and Princess Kate, when their eldest son, Prince George, who is now 10 years old, was just a baby. Last year, to celebrate Charlotte turning eight, the couple shared two new photos with their followers. One showed a smiling Charlotte seated on a white wicker chair wearing a summer dress, and the other captured her hugging the family dog, Orla, in a field of daffodils.
This year, in a departure from their usual practice, the royal couple opted to share the birthday photos of both Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte on their actual birthdays rather than the eve.
The changes come as Princess Kate is undergoing treatment for cancer, underscoring the family’s need for more privacy and space. She conveyed this sentiment in a heartfelt statement, expressing appreciation for the public’s understanding during this challenging period.
“We hope that you will understand that, as a family, we now need some time, space, and privacy while I complete my treatment,” she stated in a video message.
