The Prince and Princess of Wales shared a heartwarming photo of their youngest child, Prince Louis, to commemorate his sixth birthday on Tuesday.

Louis, positioned fourth in succession to the British monarchy, beamed joyfully at the camera while resting on a blanket in the snapshot.

Published across the Duke and Duchess's verified social media platforms, the photograph was acknowledged as the work of his mother Catherine. According to an insider, the image was taken within the past several days in Windsor.

"Happy 6th Birthday, Prince Louis! Thank you for all the kind wishes today," the Instagram caption read.

The birthday photo comes weeks after Kate was caught in the middle of a photo editing scandal after posting a photo of herself and her three children; George, Charlotte and Louis on Mother's Day in the United Kingdom.

Kate did admit to manipulating the photo, issuing an apology in a statement. She confessed "occasionally experiment with editing" like "many amateur photographers" on Twitter, now known as X.

"This is in an unprecedented time for the Wales family as the princess continues her recovery," the source stated.

Last month, the family faced adversity when Kate, 42, disclosed that she had commenced chemotherapy for cancer during its initial stages.

"The family were cognizant of the fact that they have asked for privacy during the princess' recovery, however, on balance, they wanted to share the image on their social media channels as a way to thank those who have sent birthday wishes," the source claimed.

According to the source, the photo remains unedited. CNN's Photo Desk conducted an analysis, verifying its unaltered nature, with no observed discrepancies or indications of editing.

It has become customary for William, 41, and Catherine to commemorate their children's birthdays with new images annually. Historically, many of these portraits have been captured by Kate herself, who reportedly possess a passion for photography.

Tags
Kate Middleton, Prince William, Prince Louis