In the captivating world of the British Royal Family, fans eagerly anticipate and relish every glimpse into the lives of members of The Firm.
This was certainly the case after Princess Catherine shared an “adorable” photo of Prince Louis to mark the young royal’s 6th birthday.
Looking all grown up, the beaming Prince Louis wore a checkered shirt while laying on a picnic blanket for the birthday portrait. Catherine was credited with taking the picture in Windsor where the family resides.
“Happy 6th Birthday, Prince Louis!” the caption read.
“Thank you for all the kind wishes today.”
Fans couldn’t contain their excitement, expressing sentiments ranging from admiration for Prince Louis’ striking resemblance to his mother to heartfelt wishes for his special day.
“Looking just like Catherine!! Precious photo,” one person wrote.
“Adorable. Happy Birthday Lou.”
“How precious! What a cute lovely smile! Happy 6th birthday Prince Louis! Thanks for sharing a new photo with us Princess.”
“Happy birthday Prince Louis!! Can’t believe how grown up he is looking. Hope he has the best day!” another commented.
“Wishing this sweet little prince the happiest of the birthdays.”
In the lead up to Prince Louis’ birthday speculation was rife as to whether Catherine, a keen amateur photographer, would release a photo to mark the occasion as she has done for many years for birthdays and special family occasions.
The uncertainty as to whether Catherine would release a photo stems from controversy that arose after an allegedly manipulated family photograph was released by Kensington Palace on Sunday, March 10 which saw Catherine publicly accepting blame and issuing an apology for the ensuing confusion.
The image in question, featuring Catherine alongside her three children – George, Charlotte, and Louis – was shared to social media on Sunday, March 10 only to be swiftly withdrawn by news agencies, including The Associated Press, amid allegations of photo manipulation.
The Palace insisted that the photo, supposedly taken by Prince William himself, was intended to mark Mother’s Day in Britain. However, the alleged manipulation of the image raised eyebrows and led to a violation of news agency photo guidelines.
In a rare move, Princess Catherine addressed the controversy directly through a post on her official social media accounts.
“Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing,” she began.
“I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother’s Day. C.”