Princess Charlotte turns 11: new portrait released from Cornwall family holiday

Key facts

• Princess Charlotte was born on 2 May 2015 at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington.
• She is the middle child and only daughter of Prince William and Princess Catherine.
• Charlotte is third in line to the throne, after her grandfather King Charles and father Prince William.
• The new birthday portrait was taken by photographer Matt Porteous during the family's Easter holiday in Cornwall.
• Kensington Palace shared the image on social media with the message: 'Wishing Charlotte a very happy 11th birthday!'
• Charlotte has two brothers: Prince George, 12, and Prince Louis, 8.
• The princess was last seen in public at the Royal Family's annual Easter Sunday church service in Windsor.
• The portrait was released a day after the Wales family celebrated the first birthday of their dog Otto.

A sunflower field in Cornwall

A new photograph of Princess Charlotte, released to mark her 11th birthday, captures the young royal standing in a sunlit field of daisies. She wears a black-and-red striped jumper with blue jeans, smiling directly at the camera. The image was taken by Matt Porteous, a Jersey-based photographer who has previously received royal commissions for behind-the-scenes moments from Prince Louis' christening, Christmas cards, and official portraits. The setting is the Wales family's Easter break in Cornwall, a coastal county in southwest England. Kensington Palace shared the portrait on social media with the message: 'Wishing Charlotte a very happy 11th birthday!' followed by a cake emoji.

Third in line to the throne

Princess Charlotte of Wales, formally Her Royal Highness Princess Charlotte of Wales, was born at 08:43 on 2 May 2015 at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, London. She is the second child and only daughter of Prince William and Princess Catherine. As the granddaughter of King Charles III, she is third in line to the British throne, after her grandfather and her father. Her older brother, Prince George, 12, is second in line, while her younger brother, Prince Louis, 8, is fourth. The princess was last seen in public at the Royal Family's annual Easter Sunday church service in Windsor, where she was photographed smiling and waving at crowds.

A family portrait for 15 years of marriage

The birthday portrait comes just a day after Prince William and Princess Catherine released a new family photograph to mark their 15th wedding anniversary. That image, also taken by Matt Porteous during the same Cornwall holiday, shows the couple lying in the grass, smiling, with their three children and their two dogs, Orla and Otto. The Wales family's Easter break in Cornwall has thus produced a series of carefully curated images, blending private family moments with public royal duties. The photographs underscore the family's preference for natural, informal settings, a departure from more formal royal portraiture. Porteous, who is based in Jersey, has become a trusted photographer for the Wales family, capturing key milestones such as Louis' christening and annual Christmas cards.

Otto the spaniel turns one

On the day before Charlotte's birthday portrait was released, the Wales family celebrated the first birthday of their second dog, Otto. They shared a photograph of the brown spaniel sitting in a grassy field in Cornwall, with the caption: 'Welcome to the family, Otto! 1 today.' The dog, a spaniel, joined the family as a puppy and has been featured in several official photographs. The Wales family also owns a cocker spaniel named Orla, who appears in the anniversary portrait. The release of the birthday portrait continues a tradition of sharing personal milestones with the public, a practice that has become a hallmark of the modern monarchy under King Charles III.

A carefully managed public image

The timing and setting of the portrait reflect a deliberate strategy by Kensington Palace to present the Wales family as relatable and grounded, even as they occupy a central role in the British monarchy. The choice of a natural, outdoor setting in Cornwall, rather than a formal palace backdrop, reinforces this image. Matt Porteous' involvement underscores the continuity of the family's visual narrative. His previous work includes behind-the-scenes images from Prince Louis' christening, which were praised for their warmth and intimacy. As Princess Charlotte enters her teenage years, the public's interest in her development is likely to intensify. She is the first female royal to retain her place in the line of succession under the Perth Agreement of 2011, which ended male-preference primogeniture.

What comes next for the young royal

Princess Charlotte's public appearances are expected to increase gradually as she grows older, following the pattern set by her older brother, Prince George. She currently attends Lambrook School in Berkshire alongside her brothers, where she is known for her strong-willed personality and love of sports. The Wales family's next major public engagement is expected to be the annual Trooping the Colour parade in June, where Charlotte and her siblings traditionally join their parents on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. For now, the birthday portrait offers a carefully framed glimpse into a childhood that is both ordinary and extraordinary — a girl in a field of daisies who also happens to be third in line to the throne.

The bottom line

• Princess Charlotte turned 11 on 2 May 2026, with a new portrait released by Kensington Palace.
• The photograph was taken by Matt Porteous during the Wales family's Easter holiday in Cornwall.
• Charlotte is third in line to the British throne, after King Charles III and Prince William.
• The portrait continues a tradition of informal, natural images that humanize the royal family.
• The release coincided with the 15th wedding anniversary of Prince William and Princess Catherine and the first birthday of the family's dog Otto.
• Charlotte's last public appearance was at the Easter Sunday church service in Windsor.