Prince William & Kate Middleton Release Photo of Prince Louis for His Birthday & One Detail Was Definitely Intentional

The Big Day is here, and our favorite little prince is officially 6! Prince Louis is celebrating his birthday and — keeping with tradition — Prince William and Kate Middleton released a new photo of their son to mark the occasion. On Instagram and X (formerly Twitter), the proud parents — who also share kids Prince George, 10 and Princess Charlotte, 8 — shared a picture taken by Middleton herself.

“Happy 6th Birthday, Prince Louis! 🎂,” they wrote on both platforms. “Thank you for all the kind wishes today.”

More from SheKnows

• Prince Harry & Meghan Markle's Latest Hires Shows Just How Serious They Are About Their Rebrand

In the photo, Louis is lying on his stomach on a blanket outdoors wearing a blue and gold checked button-down. He looks straight at the camera and has a huge grin on his face. His hair is swept to the side, and he has rosy cheeks and the casual demeanor we’ve come to love him for.

He is propped up on his arms, and most notably (to us at least), his hands are in fists, shielding his fingers from the camera. If you’ve followed along with the multiple royal family photo scandals, you know that in the Wales’ 2023 holiday photo, one of Prince Louis’ fingers is mysteriously edited out. The same is true for Middleton’s massive Photoshop failure last month.

So we find it hard to believe the fists weren’t intentional. (Lest they risk a missing finger once again!)

It’s nice to see, though, that despite the recent PR disaster, Buckingham Palace did let the couple share a new portrait and that they even credited Middleton with taking the photo. It’s a known hobby of hers, and their little mother-son photo session probably brought her a lot of joy amid her ongoing cancer treatments.

“OMG 😍. Happy Birthday to Prince Louis 🥳🎊💙,” one follower commented. “Thank you so much for this beautiful photo. Louis looks so handsome and he looks so much like George here 🥹💙. I hope he’s having an amazing day 😍”

“There’s so much personality in his face,” another said. “I bet he is wonderful to have as your baby 👶.”

And yes, if there’s one thing Prince Louis is far from lacking in, it’s personality. The little firecracker proves time and time again that the third child is always a wild card. Whether it be his antics at the Platinum Jubilee or the way he was adorably unimpressed by King Charles III’s coronation (and not afraid to show it!), he definitely has a big personality. A personality that we hope to see more of as he gets older. Happy Birthday, Prince Louis!

Before you go, check out Prince Louis’ most hilariously chaotic moments.

Best of SheKnows

• 8 Best Stretch Mark Creams Moms Swear By for Reducing Stretch Marks Quickly — All Under $25

• The Discomfort of My Pregnancy Was Nothing Compared to the Pain of My Infertility

• 22 Times Prince Louis Proved That the Third Child Is a Wild Card

Sign up for SheKnows' Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.