The Princess of Wales has snapped a heartwarming photo of Prince Louis to mark his birthday as she leaves the Photoshop queue behind.
The 42-year-old royal, who is currently undergoing cancer treatment, is an avid photographer and traditionally releases a portrait of her children every year on their birthdays.
Louis, beaming at the camera, is seen lying on his stomach on a camel blanket in the grounds of the Windsor estate.
The youngest child of the Prince and Princess of Wales looks grown up with his dark brown hair to the side.
For the occasion, the young royal wore a blue and brown checked shirt and matching navy blue shorts.
Prince Louis pictured by the Princess of Wales for his sixth birthday. The image shows the royal family lying on a picnic blanket in the grounds of the Windsor estate
The Princess of Wales pictured with a camera as she takes part in a photography workshop with the charity ‘Action for Children’ in Kingston in June 2019
Sharing the image on Instagram and X, the royal couple wrote: ‘Happy sixth birthday, Prince Louis! Thank you for all the kind wishes today.”
The latest photo of the princess suggests Kate is keen to put last month’s Photoshop row behind her as she focuses on her cancer treatment.
In March, royal fans went into meltdown after the Associated Press issued a kill notice on a photo of the Princess of Wales and her three children that was released for Mother’s Day.
It was the first official photo published of Kate after she underwent abdominal surgery in January.
That evening, the Associated Press became the first agency to “destroy” the photo due to an “inconsistency in the alignment of Princess Charlotte’s left hand.”
Although AP said there was no suggestion the photo was fake, it withdrew the photo because closer inspection revealed that the source had manipulated the image in a way that did not meet the agency’s photo standards.
The next day, the Princess of Wales admitted that she had edited the Mother’s Day photo herself and apologized for “any confusion” this had caused.
A statement from the Princess of Wales said: ‘Like many amateur photographers, I occasionally experiment with editing.
This Mother’s Day portrait – which Kate later admitted was photoshopped – was the first official photo published of the princess after she underwent abdominal surgery in January.
“I wanted to apologize for any confusion the family photo we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone who celebrated had a happy Mother’s Day. C’
Two weeks later, the Princess of Wales announced she was battling cancer – amid mounting pressure on the palace to comment on her condition.
It is believed that the Princess of Wales announced her cancer diagnosis on March 22, as this was the day George, Charlotte and Louis left Lambrook School in Bracknell for their Easter holidays.
The announcement may have been timed so that her children did not immediately face questions on the playground after the news became public.
The family are said to have spent the Easter holidays together as they adjusted to Kate’s diagnosis, which was discovered during post-operative tests following her major abdominal surgery.
In the emotional message, which was filmed in Windsor, Kate revealed that the news had come as a “huge shock” and that she and William have “done everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family ‘.
From a bench surrounded by daffodils and spring blossoms, she said: ‘It has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that suits them, and to reassure them that I am doing well.
“As I told them; I am doing well and getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal; in my mind, body and spirit.
‘Having William by my side is also a great source of comfort and reassurance. As does the love, support and kindness shown by so many of you. It means so much to both of us.”
Kate revealed she had been diagnosed with cancer after undergoing elective surgery at the London Clinic in January.
Earlier this month, Kate revealed she had been diagnosed with cancer in an emotional video message
The insider also claimed to PEOPLE magazine that Kate and William are also prioritizing family time because “having fun together when they can is really important.”
On This Morning in 2020, Kate Middleton, 42, gave tips for anyone looking to experiment with a camera as she launched her Hold Still campaign
She explained: “In January I had major abdominal surgery in London and at the time my condition was thought to be non-cancerous,” she said.
‘The operation was successful. However, tests after the surgery revealed that cancer was present.
‘My medical team therefore recommended that I undergo preventative chemotherapy and I am now in the early stages of that treatment.’
The announcement sent shockwaves around the world and came after weeks of speculation – and wild conspiracy theories – about her health.
It also creates a new crisis for the British royal family, at a time when King Charles is also battling cancer. In January, Sarah, Duchess of York, was diagnosed with skin cancer, just six months after being treated for breast cancer.
In 2017, Kate was awarded an honorary lifetime membership of the prestigious Royal Photographic Society in recognition of her ‘talent and enthusiasm’.
The Princess of Wales takes photos of her children to celebrate their birthdays, like this photo she took and shared of Princess Charlotte
Another photo of the princess (then Duchess) showed her husband Prince William and their three children
Founded in 1853, the association is committed to promoting photography and supporting photographers ‘regardless of their level of knowledge, equipment or skill’.
It organizes exhibitions and workshops and has a long tradition of ties with the royal family.
Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were early patrons, while several official royal photographers were members. Professional photographer Lord Snowdon won the Hood Medal in 1978.
The association described Kate as an ‘excellent role model for keen amateur photographers’ and a spokeswoman said it was ‘clear she had photographic talent’.
Kate Middleton, 42, spoke on This Morning in 2020 and gave tips for anyone looking to experiment with a camera as she launched her Hold Still campaign.
The project, which joined forces with the National Portrait Gallery, aimed to capture the nation’s “spirit, mood, hopes and fears” during the pandemic through photographs.
The project, which joined forces with the National Portrait Gallery, aimed to capture the nation’s “spirit, mood, hopes and fears” during the pandemic through photographs.