Prince Louis is beaming from ear to ear in an adorable photo released to mark his sixth birthday which was taken by his mother, the Princess of Wales.
The youngest child of the Prince and Princess of Wales celebrates turning six today, after returning to school following the Easter holidays.
Typically, Kensington Palace will release portraits of the Wales children early in the morning to mark their birthdays, however fans were left disappointed this morning when the social media accounts for Kate and William did not feature any photos of the cheeky six-year-old.
However, the snap of the beaming young prince has now been released, with the account wishing him a very happy birthday.
The photo was taken by his mother, the Princess of Wales, who often photographs her children’s birthday portraits. It suggests that, as she recovers from chemotherapy, she may be getting back behind the camera.
The Princess of Wales took Prince Louis’s birthday snap to mark her youngest child turning six today
The snap was posted on the Prince and Princess of Wales’s social media accounts thanking royal fans for all the kind wishes they had sent to the young prince
The caption reads: ‘Happy 6th Birthday, Prince Louis! Thank you for all the kind wishes today.’
As the beaming prince looks into the camera, he is lying on his front and looks all grown up with his brunette hair swept to the side, and a smart checked shirt.
He appears to be wearing dark shorts with bare feet and is lying on a fleeced blanket.
As he flashes his biggest smile, the young prince also appears to have lost a couple of his baby teeth since his last official appearance on Christmas Day 2023.
Prince Louis was born on April 23, 2018 in the Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital, like his older silings Charlotte and George.
A statement from Kensington Palace at the time read: ‘Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge was safely delivered of a son at 1101hrs.
‘The baby weighs 8lbs 7oz. The Duke of Cambridge was present for the birth. Her Royal Highness and her child are both doing well.’
The Princess of Wales announced in an emotive video message last month that she is undergoing a course of preventative chemotherapy
Louis’s sixth birthday comes as the Wales family takes time away from the spotlight while the Princess, 42, recovers from abdominal surgery and subsequent cancer treatment.
Mother-of-three Kate revealed in March that she was undergoing a course of preventative chemotherapy for a type of cancer that remains undisclosed.
In a heartbreaking video the Princess of Wales detailed how the cancerous cells were discovered, while she was undergoing surgery for a different condition in January.
She explained that she had not spoken out about it earlier because she wanted to have time to ‘explain everything’ to George, Charlotte and Louis and assure them ‘I’m going to be ok’.
Last year on the Prince’s birthday, Kensington Palace released a photo of Louis sitting in a wheelbarrow as Kate pushed him around the garden
Prince Louis delighted fans with his expressive antics during the various Platinum Jubilee celebrations
The most stylish royal! Prince Louis, then four, left royal fans in stitches as he danced to the music at the concert
The young prince’s cheeky antics went viral as royal fans were left in hysterics at his funny behaviour
This was also the reason the William was forced to pull out of a memorial service for his late godfather, King Constantine of Greece, as it is understood that this was when the family first found out about Kate’s condition.
In her emotive statement, Kate said: ‘The surgery was successful, however, tests after the operation found that cancer had been present.
‘As you can imagine, this has taken time. It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment.’
Prince Louis is known for his flair in front of the camera and has previously delighted royal fans with his expressive performances at royal events.
At Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, the young royal, then four-years-old, took centre stage as the royal family appeared on the balcony.
Enthralled by the Red Arrows circling overhead, his impression of what appeared to be a pilot saw young Louis showing his expressive side.
Similarly, the youngster charmed audiences around the world with his antics at the concert held in honour of his ‘Gan Gan’ and her 70-year reign.
During the concert, Louis was seen larking about as he played with his mother and sat on his grandfather King Charles’s lap.
As Kensington Palace celebrated Louis’s fifth birthday last year, Kate and William released a snap showing their youngest son’s playful side and his strong bond with his mother, as the Princess of Wales was seen pushing him in a wheelbarrow while he gleefully beamed.
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