Why royals won’t share Princess Charlotte’s birthday photos

PRINCESS Charlotte has turned three. But in a break with royal tradition, her parents will not release a new image to mark her birthday. And it’s all down to Prince Louis.

Princess Charlotte of Cambridge waves to photographers as she visits her new little brother in hospital. The Royal Wedding Day

PRINCESS Charlotte, the middle child of Prince William and Catherine the Duchess of Cambridge, has turned three.

The little princess’s birthday comes in a month of celebrations for the royal family, which has included the 92nd birthday of the Queen, the arrival of a baby brother for Charlotte, Prince Louis, and the upcoming wedding between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, on May 19.

Cute-as-a-button Princess Charlotte has turned three. But her parents have chosen not to release a new image of her to mark her birthday.

Princess Charlotte’s parents were not expected to release a picture of their little girl this year, as they usually do on her birthday, because she made a rare public appearance on April 23 when she went to visit her baby brother after he was born in St Mary’s Hospital in London.

The Queen arrives at Kensington Palace by helicopter to meet Prince Louis for the first time.

However, proud great-grandmother the Queen on her official Twitter feed posted a photograph of Charlotte which was released in January when she started school, saying: “wishing HRH (Her Royal Highness) Princess Charlotte a very happy 3rd birthday!”.

Wishing HRH Princess Charlotte a very Happy 3rd Birthday! pic.twitter.com/u2VdTGZNRW

— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) May 2, 2018

After visiting her baby brother in hospital, the confident little girl took the huge crowds and hundreds of photographers in her stride, smiling and waving as she walked with her father to the doors of the hospital, turning around one final time for a wave at the top of the stairs before going inside.

Princess Charlotte of Cambridge waves at the media as she is led in with her brother Prince George of Cambridge by their father Prince William to visit their newborn brother in hospital.

Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge took this official photo to mark her daughter’s second birthday last year.

Princess Charlotte visited Canada with her parents and brother in September 2016.

Her shy older brother, Prince George, 4, kept his head down and held tight to his father’s hand as he accompanied her.

Princess Charlotte is the first baby girl born into the royal family who is in direct line to the throne and will not lose her place in the line of succession to a male sibling.

Princess Charlotte in another portrait taken by her mother, which was released for her first birthday.

This is due to changes introduced in 2013 with the Succession to the Crown Act, which removed gender as an issue.

She remains fourth-in-line, with baby Prince Louis fifth.

Queen Elizabeth has paid a visit to Kensington Palace in London to visit her great-grandson Prince Louis.

The proud parents leave St Mary's Hospital with Princess Charlotte on May 2, 2015.

The Queen was photographed emerging from the royal helicopter on parkland near Kensington Palace, after she had flown in from Windsor Castle.

A newborn Princess Charlotte leaves the Lindo Wing at St Mary's Hospital just hours after her birth.

She was wearing a headscarf, quilted vest and holding a hand-picked bunch of spring flowers, and she smiled and laughed with police protection officers as she travelled the short distance to Kensington Palace where the young royals live.

Prince George calls the Queen “Gan Gan.’’