You know how the Prince and Princess of Wales organize “photoshoots” for their family photos, and they spend months recycling through one day’s photos for every major holiday and birthday? Well, Prince William and Kate are trying to be less obvious about it, finally. They’re encouraging the kids to wear different clothes for different photo set-ups. Costume changes for everybody! All of which to say, I’m certain that Princess Charlotte’s 11th birthday photo and video were taken/filmed at the same time as Louis’s birthday shoot, not to mention that weird “anniversary photo” released last week. Prince George’s 13th birthday photo will likely be from the same Cornwall beach vacation over Easter too.
So, yes, this is Charlotte’s 11th birthday portrait. I’ve already seen some criticism of Will and Kate for releasing new portraits of their kids, but I’ve always been sort of fine with it. They’re just nice birthday photos, it’s not that deep. There are a million other reasons to criticize Will and Kate. I do think the which-kid-looks-like-which-royal discourse is always going to be heated, especially since the kids are growing into their faces these days. For the record, I think Charlotte looks the most like William, and she also looks like Princess Margaret’s daughter Sarah Chatto. Louis is the one who looks like Kate. George also looks more like a Middleton to me. Charlotte’s hair is so long these days! That’s probably why Kate insists on wearing that too-long doll wig, right?
Another reason why I believe these are all from the same photoshoot? Charlotte’s blue nail polish! She had the same blue manicure in her parents’ anniversary pic. It’s crazy how nail polish is allowed these days, because I remember when a certain duchess wore dark polish and royalists were still screaming about it years after the fact.
Last thing – Will and Kate also announced the name of their second dog: Otto. I assume Otto is Orla’s son, part of Orla’s litter of four puppies last year. We heard that the Keens kept one of the cocker spaniel puppies, so there you go.
Welcome to the family, Otto! 1 today 🥳 🎂 pic.twitter.com/kOOXV1rJW6
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) May 1, 2026
Photos courtesy of Kensington Palace.
I think that Charlotte looks a bit like Pippa Middleton.
The eyes of pippa Middleton with Willy’s jaw and teeth.
Happy birthday to Charlotte!
I wish her – and every child – a life filled with love, kindness, empathy and compassion. Both given and received.
She looks like herself. Which is the best possible outcome.
She has always looked like a mix of William and Pippa to me and I am so surprised when others don’t see that
Honestly, Otto had the best photo shoot…wind blown hair, is the sole focus of the pic, deep look into those soulful eyes…no flowers or stripes to take one’s eyes off the subject. Could someone please part Charlotte’s hair to one side of centre. She has a long face like her dad, no criticism, and a side part would soften that. She’s a beautiful child and deserved better photos on her birthday, not when it was convenient for her parents.
We’re so far away from those rabid paparazzi days, it’s hard to remember the birthday portraits were a compromise to appease the media. W&H were frequently in tow alongside their mother when all those photographers were stalking Diana.
Now that WanK use their social media rather than loop in the BM and now that their cultural footprint has waned because they don’t do that many engagements these janky looking pictures fulfill that old contract but he public appetite to see them has waned.
Insane how much stick Meghan got for a glossy dark nail polish. Charlotte wears bright blue polish and nobody says anything. It is nice to see her in contemporary clothes.
Kate wore dark nail polish pre Meghan, eg France. She also often didn’t wear stocking. Surely we all know by now those things were invented?
Happy Birthday to Charlotte! I really hope she enjoys her birthday! It’s a nice photo of her but definitely part of the trip to Cornwall for the photo shoot. I also saw the video of her, just like the one they posted for Louis. Unfortunately, I’m pretty sure that both videos were staged and not candid moments from their “vacations “. And I lol with the photo of their dog with birthday wishes! The desperation to look modern, approachable and like us (or like Meghan and Harry) is real! 😂😂
If those photos are both from spring Cornwall trip, the weather must be super variable there. Someone else commented on their weird “splayed out” family photo last week. I thought it was bizarre they were all barefoot, wearing shorts and short sleeves, after I googled ‘Cornwall UK temperatures April’ and Brrrr! It’s 11C-14C (52F-57F) in the daytime. Now here’s Charlotte in blue jeans, shirt and pullover sweater, which seems more weather appropriate. Were they having a heat wave in Cornwall around Easter time?
That part isn’t weird at all to me, that’s probably the most normal part of all of those photos. The weather not cooperating with what you’re trying to imply with your staged photos happens all the time. I’ve seen plenty of engagement photos with short sleeveless twirly dresses and polos, and I knew that it was 40° outside when the couple took it. They probably just made them change clothes, and told them the suffer through a few cold shots just so they could have on shorts and short sleeves, since all these photos would be released late spring and early summer for birthdays.
She has her father’s entire face, she’s adorable.
I’m ok commenting on who she looks like ( Willy) but other than that children, especially girls, should never ever ever have their looks commented on. There is still way too much ‘she’s so beautiful ‘ in the world. I was a grown up in 95 when i first had an internet connection and I knew it was wildly inappropriate then. Strangely, people haven’t learned, regardless of their age. They all do it. I’d slap all of the internet but, you know, can’t and also inappropriate
That photo of her reminds me so much of my “flower child” aunt in the 70’s… it’s a nice photo and I love the blue nails 💅 .. hopefully she won’t be bullied in the press like her Aunt was for choosing to wear a noticeable color.
Hair like her mom’s. I see her looking like a middleton . Like aunt pipp a. I never saw any resemblance to Chat to who looks more Like a Snowdon. Nor lookong like the queen possibly some Spencer features. I hope she gets the features of William when he was better looking
I hate the way this child will have all kinds of awful things projected upon her, by royal lovers and haters alike. She’s now going to be under the microscope in an unbearable way. How many women have said they started getting sexualized at her age? It’ll be royalists saying gross things about her in the name of comparing her to others. Even their compliments will be rancid. Even the talk about who she resembles serves to objectify her. I wouldn’t wish being a princess in the British royal family on anyone. Being a prince is bad enough. It’ll suck for her if she’s beautiful and worse if the isn’t. And god forbid she isn’t thin. I have no love for her parents but I hate what this child will be subjected to.
For my personal values, I’m ok with saying who she favors but not in a embiggening or diminishing way. Just facts as i see them. I did notice the striped jumper and her mother’s love of those. I agree commenting on a child’s looks, or whatever is awful. It happens every day online in all age groups. Sad, really.
I completely agree with you, unfortunately women have been subjected to early sexualization throughout history. BUT this girl is also protected, heavily protected. I think about the young girls out in the world who are not. They are too poor to be able to live their childhood innocence and may usually end up living a life of struggle from the trauma and/or poverty. As I get older, those are the ones I save my sorrow and pity for. Princess Charlotte has the world at her feet and protection we will never understand. And her grandmother Princess Diana and aunt Meghan have broken boundaries for her to live a different life if she so chooses. Oh yes, and her Grandmother Camilla – the divorced mistress of the king (who would have thought).
Diana and Carole are her grandmother’s. I don’t think camilla life would be any role model. I hope the Wales kids will meet their Sussex cousins and not listen to parents negativity
I think carole will hold the most influence . She would want Charlotte possibly to marry an aristo from an old family or a royal from another European country
Agreed. I don’t hold any animus towards these kids, they can’t help their parents behavior or the fact that they were born. I remember how the British media treated Beatrice and Eugenie regarding their weight and their looks, and they like to pretend that they’re so much better now but they are not.
They may not be focusing on her looks now other than to make it sound complimentary, but they’re already putting pressure on her in other ways. Calling her George’s secret weapon, and the second coming of Anne. They’ve erased any autonomy that she may have had and she’s just hit double digits. They see her as being there to support one brother, and keep the other in line while helping save interest in a dwindling monarchy. A lot of pressure for an 11 year old.
I’m my dad’s youngest and only girl. He had 3 adult sons by the time I was born, but has always said that he had no idea what to do with a daughter, especially after my mom died when I was 5 and he had to do it alone. He was talking to me about it when I was much older, like in my 20s, and said that one of things he was most unprepared for was just how inappropriate adults — and adult men, in particular — will be when talking about a little girl’s appearance. They would say things like, “she’s gonna break a lot of hearts when she gets older, huh?” Or, “just wait until she’s a teenager, you’re gonna need to get a baseball bat to keep the boys away!” And so casual and “jokey” about it, too! It’s so disgusting. I can’t even imagine growing up in the public eye and dealing with that. I also worry that Kate might not be the most sympathetic mother if Charlotte were to say that it was bothering her.
I’d also be sorry to see Kate begin to compete with Charlotte, which I think is a possibility, because that’s been her nature with respect to other women, and she doesn’t have the self reflection to rein herself in, even with her daughter, if it means she stops being the center of attention. We’ve seen so many examples in the past of Kate wearing an outfit designed to pull focus from other family members, and how obvious it always was that she knew exactly where the cameras were to pose for during patronage visits. For the same reason, needing to be the focus of any public situation, I see her having issues with both young, attractive George and Louis as they mature.
It’s not just Charlotte. I wince every time I read about someone’s daughter “looking so grown up”. Sounds to me like an invitation to pedo*hiles. Every time. I physically shuddered the first time I read that about Lili. Children are NOT grown up. They are children. They are in the process of growing up and need to be left alone to do so in peace. No matter the sex or gender.
Louis and Charlotte have happy smiles. If the pics were all taken at the same time, I don’t see why that’s a problem. Families take their Christmas card photos throughout the year!! And I hope we’re all mature enough not to make an issue of nail polish.
Since most of us have defended Meghan for years when she wore nail polish, I don’t think anyone here cares that Charlotte is wearing polish, except at most noting the hypocrisy of the British press.
Charlotte looks like William. She even has the same teeth as him. I think if Meghan was to show up at a royal event with coloured/dark nail polish tomorrow she would be attacked for it. It was never about the nail polish but who was wearing it.
Charlotte and Harper Beckham go to an amazing hair colourist. I wonder if it’s the same person.
Do you think they go to actual hair colourist!? I assumed Harper is blonde because she got it from her Dad’s side,Beckhams whole family is blonde. I think Charlote maybe a mix of both parents for the hair colour. I hope at this age they are not getting into chemicals just yet.
Only George was born with blonde hair that has turned dirty blonde. Charlotte had brown hair as a baby and it stayed that way for years.
The light blonde streaks are at the end of her hair not from the scalp which is what hair looks like when highlights have been added by a colourist and start growing out. Her colour looks fine but they need to stop lying that UK sun does this.
Charlotte has always been the most comfortable in her own skin. She always seems relaxed, happy and very aware of what happening around her. She often is instructing her brothers on what to do. She genuinely seems happy in most situations I see her in. There have been a few times she has been apprehensive, but that is to be expected.
She is coming into those difficult years (even when not in the public eye). May her parents protect her (I know, hoping they do really love their children enough) and may she have the strength of character to come out mostly unscathed.
I sincerely hope that Cannot doesn’t resort to the Middleton tradition of competing with her own daughter, as Charlotte continues to grow into her inevitable public role.
I hope her mom does not bring her or her siblings to perform at that concert like that piano playing. They should not be expected to do that
Kate has already filmed a performance for the Carols service with Charlotte, last year.
Adding video only feeds the AI machine and already Charlotte is more targeted with AI images that age her up, even in apps like Instagram.
Instead of just doing work to gain interest they are taking the lazy way out by putting forward their kids. The interest has waned over the years (someone showed the like for Louis’s birthday photos over the years) and even the concept of hiring a photographer for “ casual” photos shows the fakeness of their “normal” facade.
Nail polish? Nail polish ! but but but protocol!!
I hope keen won’t put herself and Charlotte In lookalike clothes and same hairstyles like movie stars of the forties did.
It’s a lovely photo of Charlotte. Still young and carefree. That age is such a great time. I had not seen Otto’s photo. What a magnificent little fella. Whoever their photographer is did a great job with those two photos.
Now we know. The inspiration for Kate’’s hair… OTTO!
😄
I agree she may be parentified and I am in the camp that William is violent. However they do have nannies and that would take a lot of responsibility off of her even when her parents are so negligent in theirs.
She is the middle child and a girl so she most likely does not feel the pressure and might even benefit from being somewhat invisible.
I still think she radiates from within and has a sense of self. Lots of kids are born into dysfunctional families and just have personalities that are less corrupted by it. Still growing up with parents that have nothing but disdain for each other is going to leave a mark and I worry I will be watching her light dim over the coming year for all the things you have mentioned.
Her instructing her brothers seems inappropriate to me, given how long she’s been doing it. Where are those kids’ parents? Poor girl.
I thought that to, especially when she is bossing George, My elder brother used to do it to me and I wasn’t having anything to do with it, do the opposite in fact and full of resentment.
@Sunniside ~ Different dynamic. Charlotte is not older than George. Geo does not seem to mind when Charlotte guides him. From what I have (barely) observed, when she ‘corrects’ him, he does what she says to do. I don’t see resentment. I see acceptance, because when out in public, George seems very shut down to me, with huge bags under his eyes. He almost always looks strained.
Charlotte seems much more outgoing and confident than the more reserved and guarded George, so maybe at this point he welcomes her guidance until he gains more confidence of his own. (shrug)
Happy Birthday Charlotte!!!!!
W&K either need to hire a better photographer or stop interfering, the composition of this photo is so annoying. The white flowers are so bright they almost look painted and immediately draw the eye, it’s not so bad on this site where you have to scroll down to see the entire photo. In a portrait your eyes should be immediately drawn to the subject not the scenery, Charlotte is practically in shadows compared to the vivid flowers
Would’ve been hilarious if when she was making designs with sea rocks and shells on the beach, it had said 8647! 😉🎈
To me, Charlotte looks like her dad and her late grandmother.
George is seems quite like his Spencer uncle, and for better or worse, I see a lot of Andrew-like features in Louis’s face.
I’m more fascinated by the logistics of this “family holiday to Cornwall.” They spent an entire day, at least, on a private boat and at a private beach with a full retinue of staff, a photographer and his staff and equipment, and likely a social media person or videographer and their staff and equipment. Releasing videos suggests to me that they are tacitly admitting they owe the media more and/or are worried that the public knows little about the children and won’t develop the relationship necessary to sustain them. Is this building to George actually speaking in his inevitable video?
Charlotte is wearing Kate’s sweater. I wonder how much more we are going to see them share clothing. It’s Bethany Frankel vibes and going to be a problem.