Princess Charlotte is celebrating her 11th birthday today, and her parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales, have marked the occasion by releasing a new portrait. The photograph captures the young princess standing in a field of flowers, smiling warmly at the camera. For the picture, Charlotte wore a pair of jeans and a striped sweater, with her long hair flowing freely and her nails painted with blue polish. The caption on the official post reads: "Wishing Charlotte a very happy 11th birthday!" accompanied by a cake emoji.
The portrait was taken by photographer Matt Porteous during the Wales family's Easter break in Cornwall. As soon as the image was shared, royal fans quickly took to social media to point out how much Charlotte resembles her father, Prince William. One user on X wrote: "Happy Birthday Charlotte, you look more and more like your daddy. A beautiful young lady!" Another added: "Oh doesn't she look like her Dad?! Happy birthday Charlotte."
Royal Expert Weighs In
Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond shared her thoughts with the Mirror, suggesting that the Wales family will undoubtedly be celebrating Charlotte in a special way. "I think she's living proof that the Prince and Princess are entirely justified in prioritising their family in the way that they have insisted," Bond said. She noted that William and Kate have been open about making their family a priority, and this is most evident on their children's birthdays.
"In recent decades, the royals have, with some justification, been labelled one of the most dysfunctional families in the land," Bond added. "And that needs to change. William and Catherine have faced criticism for making that change, by ring-fencing school holidays for example, and by simply being there for their children in the way royals of the past have not always been. And I think it's making a crucial difference. They all look like great kids – a credit to their devoted parents."
A Look Back at Charlotte's Birthday Portraits
To celebrate Charlotte's 11th birthday, here is a retrospective of the official portraits released by the Palace in previous years to mark her special day.
- A new portrait has been released to mark Princess Charlotte's 11th birthday.
- Taken by her mother Princess Kate, Charlotte smiled for her 10th birthday photo.
- Princess Charlotte celebrated her ninth birthday in 2024 with another photo taken by the Princess of Wales.
- The Palace marked Charlotte's 8th birthday with this photo taken in Windsor.
- Princess Charlotte smiled alongside the Wales' family dog Orla for her seventh birthday snap.
- The Princess of Wales took this photo of Charlotte in Norfolk for her sixth birthday in 2021.
- The Palace thanked fans for their birthday wishes for Charlotte in 2020, sharing this photo for her fifth birthday.
- The Palace shared two photos of Charlotte for her fourth birthday, starting with this portrait taken at Kensington Palace.
- Princess Charlotte was also captured running around the Wales' home in Norfolk in her fourth birthday picture.
- To mark Princess Charlotte's third birthday in 2018, she was snapped cradling her newborn brother Louis.
- Taken by the Princess of Wales at Anmer Hall, Charlotte was snapped for her second birthday portrait.
- To celebrate her first birthday in 2016, the Prince and Princess of Wales shared a sweet photo of Charlotte taken in Norfolk.
