Princess Charlotte's Birthday Photo Proves She's Growing Up Fast
All eyes may be turned to the drama surrounding King Charles' coronation this weekend, but the royal family made sure to honor another important event on Tuesday: Princess Charlotte's birthday. The daughter of the Prince and Princess of Wales — and the third in line to the throne — celebrates her 8th birthday this week but will spend her special day at school, according to Express. To commemorate her birthday, Charlotte reportedly spent time over the weekend watching the ballet "Cinderella" alongside mom Kate Middleton and a group of friends.
The young royal is growing up fast, after facing the death of her grandmother, Queen Elizabeth III, last year and getting used to taking part in royal festivities as the world watches. Charlotte will attend the upcoming coronation service, though she won't play a major role the way Prince George is expected to, per The Telegraph. Her growth, as well as her resemblance to the royals who came before her, can be seen in an official portrait, released online just in time for her birthday.
8-year-old Princess Charlotte is all smiles in her birthday photo
A smiley portrait of Princess Charlotte was shared on the Prince and Princess of Wales' official Instagram profile, showing off the royal's missing baby teeth. In it, Charlotte sports a ruffled white dress and windswept hair. "Wishing Princess Charlotte a very happy birthday! 8 tomorrow," the photo's caption reads, along with a balloon and birthday cake emoji. The caption also indicates that the photo was taken by Kate Middleton, who has taken other family photos in the past, including Charlotte's birthday portrait last year.
The young princess is growing into her royal genes, bearing resemblance to Prince William and other elders. "She is William's mini-me," wrote one commenter, with another adding, "Looks just like her dad!" Others suggest the 8-year-old has Queen Elizabeth II's features: "She looks just like her grandmother Queen Elizabeth... she is so cute," reads one popular comment. This isn't the first time Charlotte's been compared to another royal — after her 6th birthday portrait was shared with the public two years ago, some commented that Princess Charlotte looked nearly identical to Queen Elizabeth II.