It seems just like yesterday the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were bringing home Prince Louis from the hospital. Now, William and Catherine have released a new photo of the toddler, to mark his third birthday on Friday, April 23.
Proud mother Catherine snapped the adorable photo, which was released by Kensington Palace overnight ahead of Louis’ special day. In the image, Louis sported a big, cheeky smile as he posed on a bike, backpack in tow. The picture was taken earlier this week before the young prince left for his first day of nursery school.
And we couldn’t help but notice how well dressed the young prince is. Louis is pictured wearing a smart blue-and-white striped shirt, a navy sweater and sky-blue shorts. Not to mention, his black socks are pulled up perfectly too. However, Louis still looks like your typical kid as he also sports a pair of velcro runners and a sporty backpack.
The Telegraph made a pretty good point, writing, “Could I see George, Charlotte or Louis turning up to a park meet-up wearing goggles, as my friend’s little boy did recently? Or insist on wearing odd shoes? Probably not. But I also couldn’t see [the Cambridges] stopping them.”
“Three tomorrow!” Kensington Palace captioned the post. “Taken earlier this week by the Duchess before he left for his first day of nursery, the Duke and Duchess are pleased to share a new image of Prince Louis.”
Many fans couldn’t help but point out that Louis looks remarkably grown up and bears a striking resemblance to his older brother Prince George, seven.
While others thought he looked just like mum, with one writing: “Happy Birthday Louis! Looks like his Mum.”
You can see how much Louis has grown in the past 12 months when you compare the new photo to the prince’s birthday snaps from last year.
Louis’ birthday is just two days after the birthday of Queen Elizabeth II, who turned 95 on Wednesday. The Queen remained at home at Windsor Castle for her birthday this year as she continues her period of mourning following the death of Prince Philip. It’s the second year in a row she’s cancelled her public and private celebration plans. Last year, the Queen decided against the usual pomp and ceremony that accompanies her birthday due to the Covid-19 crisis gripping the UK.
And this year she opted to release a heartfelt statement thanking the public for “support and kindness” following the death of her beloved husband.
“I have, on the occasion of my 95th birthday today, received many messages of good wishes, which I very much appreciate,” the Queen began her message.
“While as a family we are in a period of great sadness, it has been a comfort to us all to see and to hear the tributes paid to my husband, from those within the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth and around the world.
“My family and I would like to thank you all for the support and kindness shown to us in recent days. We have been deeply touched, and continue to be reminded that Philip had such an extraordinary impact on countless people throughout his life.”