Prince William and Princess Kate's only daughter, Princess Charlotte, is marking her ninth birthday on May 2, after attending a series of high-profile public events over the past year.
Charlotte was born in 2015 and is most often to be seen alongside her brothers, Prince George and Prince Louis, at official royal ceremonies such as the annual Trooping the Colour parade each June.
In 2023, Charlotte attended her highest-profile events to date with the coronation celebrations for her grandfather King Charles III. Her regal curtsies and composure during these appearances have won her praise online and a growing fan base among royal watchers.
Charlotte's last public appearance to date was made on Christmas Day. This was also the last time Princess Kate attended an official event prior to the announcement in March that she is undergoing treatment for cancer.
Charlotte, like her mother, has been praised for her fashion and style, with items of her clothing quickly selling out online after she has worn them.
Here, Newsweek looks at Princess Charlotte's year in photos, from the coronation to carol concerts and beyond.
8th Birthday Portrait
Charlotte's eighth birthday was marked with a new portrait taken in 2023 by her mother, Princess Kate.
The image showed the young princess seated in a floral dress with her hair loose about her shoulders, and it received over 1 million likes on Instagram.
Coronation Couture
For the coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla, which took place just four days after Charlotte's eighth birthday, the young royal made a striking appearance wearing a couture Alexander McQueen dress and cape to match her mother.
The princess wore a matching crystal tiara headdress, which was a smaller version of one worn by Princess Kate, and was seated next to her younger brother, Prince Louis, for the historic ceremony at Westminster Abbey in London.
Trooping Triumph
Charlotte made an appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in London with her siblings and parents to celebrate King Charles' first Trooping the Colour parade on June 17, 2023.
The royal wore a white dress with red piping and was spotted sharing a sweet father-daughter moment with Prince William, when he placed his hands on her shoulders during the military flypast.
Father's Day
To mark Father's Day in June 2023, Kensington Palace released a never-before-seen portrait of Prince William with Princess Charlotte, Prince George and Prince Louis taken by photographer, Millie Pilkington.
Family Day Out
Charlotte was next seen attending the International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, England, with her parents and brothers. There, they were photographed meeting Royal Air Force members and inspecting aircraft that were on display.
Wimbledon Watching
Charlotte made her Wimbledon debut in July 2023 in London. She was spotted meeting King Felipe VI of Spain in the royal box and sat beside Princess Kate and Prince George as they watched Carlos Alcaraz win the men's singles final cup against returning champion, Novak Djokovic.
Carol Concert
Charlotte joined her family for Princess Kate's annual "Together at Christmas" community carol concert at Westminster Abbey on December 8, 2023. The princess was met by members of the clergy and watched musical artists such as Jacob Collier perform.
Christmas Day Walkabout
On Christmas Day, Charlotte was photographed walking to church at King Charles' Sandringham estate in Norfolk, England, with her parents and siblings for the annual church service.
Afterward, the princess met with members of the public during a brief walkabout taken part in annually by the royals.
Mother's Day
On Mother's Day, 2024, Kensington Palace released a new photograph of Charlotte with her brothers and mother, Princess Kate.
The photo caused controversy when social-media users identified traces of editing in the frame.
The image showed the princess seated on the arm of a chair, with Prince Louis on the other side and Prince George behind, framing Kate in the center. The photo took on increased significance as it was the first to be released of Kate following her abdominal surgery in January.
Thank you for your kind wishes and continued support over the last two months.
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) March 10, 2024
Wishing everyone a Happy Mother's Day. C
📸 The Prince of Wales, 2024 pic.twitter.com/6DywGBpLLQ
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We'd love to hear from you.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
James Crawford-Smith is a Newsweek Royal Reporter, based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on the British royal family ... Read more
