Prince Louis’ 6th Birthday Portrait Is About to Be Complicated for Kate and William
It’s almost Prince Louis’ birthday, and that means a tricky situation for his parents, Prince William and Kate Middleton. The Prince and Princess of Wales have to decide how they’re going to handle the traditional birthday portrait marking the soon-to-be 6-year-old’s special day on April 23, 2024. The pair are reportedly continuing with the tradition in the wake of the edited photo controversy surrounding a snap of Kate and her three children to mark U.K. Mother’s Day. But there’s still the question of how they’re going to proceed, especially since Louis’ birthday kicks off a steady stream of anniversaries and birthdays in the Wales family.
William and Kate have to ‘do all the explaining’ with a Louis birthday portrait
Releasing a sweet snapshot of their children to mark birthdays isn’t going to be as simple as it once was for William and Kate. It’s all because of the photo — taken by William — that Kate edited of her, Louis, Prince George, and Princess Charlotte in March 2024.
According to Christopher Andersen, a royal expert, whoever takes Louis’ birthday portrait, whether it’s a professional photographer or Kate, “explaining” is necessary.
“My suggestion would be to either have Kate take the photo and not retouch it,” he said (via Express). “Or have Kate take it and explain in advance how and why she altered the photo. Or have a professional photographer take it and do all the explaining.”
“I mean, will it really matter?” he asked. “The conspiracy theories will continue anyway. That particular genie is out of the bottle.”
William and Kate are undecided on who will take birthday portraits
In the wake of the Mother’s Day photo scandal, the U.K.’s The Sunday Times reported William and Kate are planning on continuing the tradition of birthday portraits to mark the milestones in their kids’ lives.
“They appreciate the public’s love and affection for their children and know there is a public appetite to see them on their birthdays,” a source told the outlet as to why the tradition of releasing birthday photos will reportedly continue.
However, they’re still “undecided” on who will be behind the camera. Will it be Kate, as it’s been many times in the past? William? Or perhaps a professional photographer?
Sources close to the couple claimed no “firm decision” has been made, although William and Kate may have made up their minds since then. After all, they are logging some quality family time at Anmer Hall, their country home in Norfolk, England.
That could provide Kate the perfect opportunity to snap a few photos of Louis. Or maybe the time to call in a professional, such as Matt Porteous and Millie Pilkington, as they’ve done previously, to set up a formal session.
How William and Kate handle Louis’ birthday portrait will set the tone for other upcoming milestones
Louis’ birthday kicks off a steady stream of Wales family milestones. As such, his turning 6 will set the post-photogate tone.
Louis’ birthday is quickly followed by William and Kate’s wedding anniversary. On April 29, 2024, they’ll have been married 13 years. Similar to to their kids’ birthdays, the royal couple typically share a photo to mark the occasion. Meaning one will presumably be on the way shortly after Louis’ birthday portrait.
Then comes Charlotte’s birthday. She turns 9 on May 2, 2024. Again, this likely means a birthday portrait. More snaps are expected when William turns 42 on June 21, 2024, and once again on July 22, 2024, when George turns 11.
Father’s Day, which falls on June 16, 2024, may also see William and Kate release a new or never-before-seen photo.
