There was no pomp or pageantry for Princess Charlotte as she marked her 11th birthday – just a carefree smile in a daisy-strewn field. The charming portrait, released by proud parents Prince William and Princess Kate, shows Charlotte wandering through Cornish countryside during the family's Easter break.
Dressed simply in a striped black and red jumper and jeans, with her waist-length hair loose and sky-blue nail polish, she looks every inch the modern princess. It's the latest in a series of informal birthday snaps charting her journey from spirited toddler to poised pre-teen – from camouflage-clad adventures in Cumbria to sun-dappled country walks and cuddles with the family's cocker spaniel, Orla.
This year's portrait was captured by Matt Porteous, a favourite of the Waleses, marking only the second time Kate has stepped away from the camera. The other exception came for Charlotte's eighth birthday, when Millie Pilkington, who photographed William and Kate's 2011 wedding, took the shot... also among flowers.
A video alongside yesterday's portrait offers a further glimpse of Charlotte at play, bowling a cricket ball, laughing with the family's dogs and arranging pebbles on the shore. 'Thank you for the lovely birthday messages for Princess Charlotte, 11 today!' her parents wrote.
Charlotte, who attends Lambrook School in Berkshire, is said to be a keen all-rounder, excelling at cricket, swimming and tennis, and representing several school teams.
