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Princess Charlotte bears a striking resemblance to her mother, Kate Middleton, in a newly released video celebrating her 11th birthday.
The video, shared on Instagram by the Prince and Princess of Wales on Saturday, May 2, captures the young royal enjoying time with her two cocker spaniels, Orla and Otto. The video also shows Princess Charlotte arranging seashells to spell out “I ❤️U” on a beach and demonstrating her impressive overhand pitching skills.
“Thank you for the lovely birthday messages for Princess Charlotte, 11 today,” read the caption on the royal Instagram account accompanying the birthday video.
As part of the birthday celebrations, Prince William and Kate, 44, continued the royal tradition by releasing a new official portrait of their daughter. (In the previous year, Charlotte was photographed by her mother, radiating joy in a long-sleeve camouflage jacket for her 10th birthday.)
Following her 10th birthday in 2025, several royal experts shared insights with Us Weekly, highlighting Princess Charlotte’s growing maturity as she embraces her role in the royal family.
Following her 10th birthday in 2025, multiple royal experts spoke exclusively to Us Weekly about Princess Charlotte showing maturity while stepping into life as a young royal.
“[Her parents] have watched Charlotte grow into a smart, confident and funny girl who knows how to hold her own both in the spotlight and outside of it,” royal watcher Sharon Carpenter told Us.
Us learned that the princess was excelling at Lambrook School in the Berkshire countryside, where she goes by Charlotte Cambridge. Royal commentator Amanda Matta revealed to Us that Charlotte is a budding baker outside of school and enjoys sports such as tennis, gymnastics, archery and “anything adventurous.”
“She’s the boss of the family,” a royal insider told Us. “Charlotte rules the roost.”
Earlier this month, Us reported on how Prince and Princess of Wales have kept their family united despite Kate and King Charles III’s cancer battles, the scandal involving Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s connection to Jeffrey Epstein and ongoing estrangement from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Princess Charlotte’s 2026 birthday portrait. Courtesy Instagram / Prince and Princess of Wales
“William and Kate have been through so much, but they always have each other’s backs,” a source told Us. “They are incredibly connected.”
Royal historian Marlene Koenig shared with Us that William, 43, has always been determined to avoid the pitfalls faced by his own parents with his marriage to Kate. (Princess Diana divorced then-Prince Charles in 1996 after 15 years of marriage. The princess died at age 36 in August 1997 in a car crash in Paris.)
Princess Kate and Prince William have marked each of their children’s birthdays over the years with new portraits. The sweet tradition began when their eldest son, Prince George, celebrated his first year in July 2014. The little one walked in the photo taken by John Stillwell, looking all grown up in Petit Bateau denim overalls, […]
“Diana and Charles didn’t have the real time to get to know each other,” Koenig explained to Us. “[William] was determined to allow his relationship with Kate to grow. It’s a much more modern marriage.”
William and Kate share three children: sons Prince George, 12, and Prince Louis, 8, and daughter Princess Charlotte. The royal couple tied the knot on April 29, 2011, at the historic Westminster Abbey in London, England.