A perfect princess! Charlotte shows off her 'confident and playful' nature as she plays outdoors in delightful pictures to mark her fourth birthday (taken by her doting mother Kate)
- Kate, 37, a keen amateur photographer, took adorable portraits at Kensington Palace and her Norfolk home
- Charlotte can be seen running and smiling as she holds a flower and sits on a fence beaming at the camera
- The princess was born at Lindo Wing at St Mary's Hospital at 8.34am on May 2 2015, weighing 8lb 3oz
Her adorable grin, impish confidence and playful nature mean that even at the age of four Princess Charlotte is already a favourite with royal fans.
And as these official photographs show, many of her loveable traits have clearly passed down the line.
For Charlotte is an action girl, just like her mother the Duchess of Cambridge.
The three new images, taken by keen photographer Kate, have been released to mark the princess's fourth birthday today. They were taken last month at the family's homes at Kensington Palace and Anmer Hall.
In one, Charlotte can be seen in a blue floral dress with a Peter Pan collar, taking advantage of warm spring weather in London. Kate loves dressing her daughter in blue – it has featured in many of her portraits – and Charlotte wears her hair pushed back off her head in a blue bow with navy Hampton canvas plum shoes.
Princess Charlotte's fourth birthday has been marked by the release of three pictures taken by her mother, the Duchess of Cambridge, 37. In the first, she is pictured in a summer dress as she sits crossed legged on a patch of grass at the palace
The princess, who is fourth in line to the throne, was photographed by the Duchess of Cambridge at Kensington Palace and Kate's Norfolk home of Anmer Hall
Treat your little princess to Charlotte's tartan skirt by Amaia
The Cambridge kids are growing up fast. Princess Charlotte turns four today!
She's pictured here in what looks like the same outfit she wore at the Burnham Market Horse Trials in Norfolk a couple of weeks ago. Doesn't she just look adorable in her tartan print skirt?
It's by Amaia, a brand that Kate has chosen to dress her children in before. We love the traditional print and straps on this design, which works well all layered up with a gray cardigan, tights and Russell & Bromley brogue boots.
Charlotte's is from the Autumn/Winter '17 collection so has now sold out, but click (right) to buy a new season version.
Or style your mini-me in one of the check print options from our edit below instead. We've found a mix of skirts and dresses that will do the trick.
The other pictures were at Anmer Hall on the day that Charlotte and her brother Prince George, five, were seen attending the Burnham Horse Trials in Norfolk with their cousin Mia Tindall, five. The first shows the princess racing around in the garden holding a daffodil.
Her thick dark hair, so like her mother's, is escaping from a ponytail as she charges about the field. In the second, she balances on a fence.
Charlotte is wearing a check Amaia Kids dress under a grey cashmere cardigan.
Unlike George, who seems slightly shyer, Charlotte displays a spirited confidence.
Pictures of Kate at a similar age also show a confident, happy action girl.
In another photograph, Princess Charlotte, who turns four on Thursday, sits on a fence beaming at the camera in a grey cardigan and £50 skirt from London based label Amaia Kids which she also wore last month at the Burnham Horse Trials
Family friends describe Charlotte as 'bright as a button' – both in brains and personality – and full of confidence. 'She is not a shy little girl at all,' says one.
Prince William has ruefully hinted more than once that his little girl rules the roost.
Charlotte currently attends the prestigious £20,000-a-year Willcocks Nursery School in Kensington as a full-time pupil.
It has been described by society magazine Tatler as comprising a mixture of 'old English families and chic foreigners'. Boys and girls are normally given cake on their birthday for the class to share.
It is likely that Charlotte will join George, five, at Thomas's Battersea in the autumn.
Yesterday, as she opened the Pears Family School in Islington, north London, Kate told a pupil that Charlotte is like any other child... and enjoys playing with slime.
She told seven-year-old Narriyah: 'Charlotte, my daughter, she dropped hers on the floor and it was pink and ended up brown and covered in so much mud. It ends up all gooey, doesn't it?'
The last time we saw Charlotte, who is known for her confident public displays, was at the Burnham Market Horse Trials in Norfolk on April 15.
Doting mother Kate also took this adorable picture of Princess Charlotte on her first day at nursery in January 2018 and snapped a cute picture of Princess Charlotte cradling Prince Louis, taken in May last year
Kate's use of colour is praised by paparazzi photographer Jaimie, who told how the Duchess uses bright outfits to make the photos pop. Pictured is Princess Charlotte in a snap taken to mark her second birthday in April 2017
Another photographer Jaimie previously told how Kate always ensures her children's faces are the main focus of her pictures and sometimes sacrifices good framing. In this photo of Princess Charlotte, taken in the garden in Norfolk in 2016, Kate has chopped off the end of her toy
There, she wore the same £50 tartan skirt from Amaia Kids, which she teamed with woolly tights and a quilted jacket as she enjoyed the day out with her brother and cousin Mia.
It seems Charlotte is following in her mother's fashion footsteps, as the Duchess of Cambridge won praise for the tartan skirt and black top she donned for a Kensington Palace Christmas party in 2018 - and she appears to be a firm fan of the pattern.
The royal also wore a blue and green tartan Alexander McQueen coat dress to open V&A Dundee in Scotland on January 29 2019.
The Queen's great-granddaughter currently attends Willcocks Nursery School as a full-time pupil and will mostly likely be there today, too.
Boys and girls at the prestigious £20,000-a-year-nursey in Kensington nursery are normally given cake on their birthday for the whole class to share, and Charlotte's big day will likely be no different.
A photograph of Princess Charlotte's great-great grandmother at the age of two shows some uncanny likenesses - the hair, the cheeks and, again, the same cheeky smile. Pictured, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (right) and Charlotte (left)
Princess Charlotte and Prince George hold the hands of their father, Prince William, as they arrive at the Chapel Royal, St James's Palace for the christening of their brother, Prince Louis, who is being carried by their mother, Catherine Duchess of Cambridge
Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana of Cambridge was born at Lindo Wing at St Mary's Hospital at 8.34am on May 2 2015. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are pictured leaving St Mary's hospital with their new baby
Prince William and his wife Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, pose with their children Princess Charlotte and Prince George during their skiing break in the French Alps, France
It has been described by society magazine Tatler as being comprised of a mixture of 'old English families and chic foreigners'.
But it is likely she will join her big brother, George at Thomas's Battersea in the autumn, when she goes to 'big school', as he has been so happy there.
Unlike George, who seems a slightly shyer child, Charlotte displays the spirited confidence of the late Queen Mother, the former Elizabeth Bowes Lyon.
In fact a photograph of her great-great grandmother at the same age shows some uncanny likenesses - the hair, the cheeks and, again, the same cheeky smile.
Family friends describe Charlotte as being 'bright as a button' - both in brains and personality - and full of confidence. 'She is not a shy little girl at all,' says one.
Prince William, who longed for a daughter, has ruefully hinted more than once that his little girl very much rules the roost.
Princess Charlotte of Cambridge is perfectly behaved as she is pushed in her silver cross pram as she leaves the Church of St Mary Magdalene in Sandringham on July 5 2015 following her Christening service
Siblings Prince George and Princess Charlotte taken by the Duchess in mid-May at Anmer Hall in Norfolk. Baby Charlotte wore a soft white suit for the picture, which was later worn by her little brother Prince Louis
Princess Charlotte, who is wearing the hand made replica of the Royal Christening Robe created by the Queen's dressmaker Angela Kelly, is pushed in a pram by her mother the Duchess as they arrive for her Christening at St. Mary Magdalene Church
Princess Charlotte, pictured centre on her mother the Duchess of Cambridge's knee, is the only daughter and middle child of Kate and Prince William, pictured right. Also pictured is big brother Prince George in a photograph taken in late October 2015 at Kensington Palace, London
She is also very playful - especially when it comes to her big brother, George. The pair are always running around at top speed, boisterously teasing each other.
'It is surprisingly conventional family dynamic, it really is,' said another.
'They are just a normal, very outdoorsy, boisterous family.' Indeed Kate has often spoken of how she likes to take her children outside on spider hunts, and how much Charlotte likes making pizza and her favourite cheesy pasta as well as making arts and crafts.
Yesterday she told a pupil at the Pears Family School in London, seven-year-old Narriyah, that Charlotte was also like any other schoolchild and liked playing with and creating her own 'slime'.
'Charlotte, my daughter, she dropped hers on the floor and it was pink and ended up brown and covered in so much mud. It ends up all gooey, doesn't it?' she said as Narriyah nodded earnestly.
'The duchess was lovely with her,' Rose, 48, Narriyah's grandmother, added later. 'It was quite funny that they were talking about slime, of all things.'
The youngster, whose full title is Her Royal Highness Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana of Cambridge, was born at the Lindo Wing at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington at 8.34am on May 2 2015, weighing 8lb 3oz.
She is the second child of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and a sister to Prince George, five, and Prince Louis, one.
Kate, one of the world's most photographed people, often goes behind the lens and has released her own pictures on a number of occasions.
Just last week, the 37-year-old duchess released snaps of her youngest son Louis to mark his first birthday.
Kate is a keen and accomplished amateur photographer who has lifetime honorary membership of the Royal Photographic Society which recognised her 'talent and enthusiasm'.
She bucked tradition when she took the official photographs of newborn daughter Charlotte in 2015.
The photos of Charlotte showed the young princess being cradled by George at William and Kate's Norfolk home.
Kate, a history of art graduate, has released pictures to mark other milestones in her children's lives, including George and Charlotte's first days at nursery school and Charlotte's first birthday.
Princess Charlotte dons a similar tartan skirt to her mother in adorable new photos - but she also bears a striking resemblance to other family members
By Bryony Jewell For Mailonline
Princess Charlotte follows in her mother's fashion footsteps in the new official photographs released to mark her fourth birthday - as she dons a tartan skirt.
The Duchess of Cambridge, 37, won praise for the tartan skirt and black top she wore for a Kensington Palace Christmas party in 2018.
New pictures shared today by Kensington Palace show Princess Charlotte is growing up fast - and looking a lot like some of her closest relatives.
The three portraits, which were taken by the Duchess of Cambridge in April, show Charlotte sweetly posing for the camera and running around in the garden.
In two of the photographs the energetic youngster is seen wearing a £50 tartan skirt from British brand Amaia Kids.
New pictures of Princess Charlotte taken by her mother, the Duchess of Cambridge, show the youngster as a confident four-year-old
Festive cheer: The Duchess wore the ensemble as she joined William in hosting a Christmas party for RAF families at Kensington Palace on Tuesday
The pattern appears to be a firm favourite of Charlotte's stylish mother, as she has also worn the traditional print on several occasions.
The mother-of-three even loved wearing tartan to brighten up an outfit when she was a fresh-faced 26-year-old and still dating Prince William.
A throwback snap which came to light after Kate's Christmas party appearance last year shows the Duchess enjoying a day out in London back in 2008.
The Duchess of Cambridge, then still Kate Middleton, showed off her 'timeless style' in a red tartan skirt, black boots and fitted black jumper.
Kate wore a blue and green tartan coat while visiting Dundee, Scotland, in January this year
The Duchess of Cambridge, pictured left and right, is a fan of the classic print and has worn tartan on several occasions
After seeing the snap one fan tweeted: 'Ten years later the taste of the girl has not changed much (maybe only the cost) but she is the same shy, happy and relaxed girl of always.'
The noticeable difference between the 2008 and the 2018 outfits was the length of the skirt - with Kate choosing a mini skirt ten years ago and a midi now.
Kate also wore a tartan Alexander McQueen coat dress for the Christmas Day service in 2013 and during a visit to Dundee in January this year.
The green and blue number was strikingly similar to the stylish skirt her four-year-old daughter can be wearing in the pictures released today.
A young Prince William sheltering from the rain underneath a large tartan umbrella as he watches his father play polo at Cirencester Park Polo Club. A young Princess Beatrice And Princess Eugenie wearing tartan skirts, arriving at Geneva Airport for a skiing holiday in Verbier, Switzerland
Princess Charlotte's tartan skirt is the latest example of the fashion trend among the royal family. This photo shows the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales, Princess Diana, Prince William, Prince Harry, the Duchess of York, Princess Beatrice, Princess Anne, Peter Phillips and Zara Phillips, with tartan a clear favourite
Resplendent in a kilt of Balmoral tartan, Prince Charles, son of Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh, poses for this 7th birthday portrait in the grounds of Balmoral Castle (left). The Queen Mother poses in a tartan skirt with her pet corgi Honey at her Caithness home (right)
Diana also wore this long skirt paired with a matching red tartan jacket during a trip to Swindon
Kate is not alone in her love of tartan as her mother-in-law was also spotted wearing the print several times on official engagements.
Princess Diana sported the traditional print and often wore statement two-piece outfits made up of tartan.
Kate's choice of clothing isn't the only similarity with her young daughter in the new official pictures.
Princess Charlotte also wears her hair tied back in the new images - just as her mother Kate does in a picture taken around 1985 when she was a similar age.
The appearance of a playful and curious looking Kate was shared from the Middleton family's 1985 photo album.
The now mother-of-three is seen wearing a brightly striped jumper with a collared top underneath - not dissimilar to the shirt and jumper combination she often dresses her own children in now.
Both pictures of the mother and daughter duo also show them as active children - with Kate climbing a rock and Charlotte a fence in the new snaps released today.
Princess of Wales wearing a tartan outfit on a visit to Portsmouth, on January 23, 1989 (left). Princess Diana with Rosa Monckton turning on the Bond Street Christmas lights in London. Both Diana and her Friend are wearing red tartan outfits (right)
Charlotte and Kate have the same button nose in the pictures of them both at four-years-old and they share the same big eyes.
The four-year-old is also the spitting image of her father Prince William, 36, at the same age, with both of them having similar cheeks.
William has clearly been caught off guard in an adorable which sees him getting out of his car after spending the morning at nursery.
The second in line to the throne is seen carrying a Thomas The Tank Engine bag and staring directly at the camera, just as confident as his daughter appears in her official fourth birthday pictures.
Little Charlotte's similarity with her paternal grandmother Diana can also be seen when compared to an old snap - with both girls smiling confidently at the camera.
A black and white photo of a young Lady Diana Spencer, who is wrapped up warm in a dark coat, shows Charlotte's grandmother as a four-year-old in 1965.
The relatives look remarkably similar with both sporting similar shoulder length hair.
Charlotte and Princess Diana also share a name as Prince William and Kate chose to give their first born daughter her grandmother's name as one of her middle names.
Princess Charlotte bears a striking resemblance to her mother Kate Middleton, 37, pictured in 1985, when she would have been around the same age as her daughter
Daddy's girl: Little Charlotte also looks similar to her father Prince William, pictured as a young child after returning home from nursery, with them both having the same light coloured hair
Both Charlotte and her late grandmother Princess Diana, pictured circa 1965 when she would have been four-years-old, share the same confident look and striking eyes. She also bears a striking resemblance to the Queen (right)
It also appears that the family likeness has remained for another generation with Princess Charlotte even bearing a similarity to her great-grandmother, the Queen.
A black and white photo of a young Lady Diana Spencer, who is wrapped up warm in a dark coat, shows Charlotte's grandmother as a four-year-old in 1965.
The relatives look remarkably similar with both sporting similar shoulder length hair.
Charlotte and Princess Diana also share a name as Prince William and Kate chose to give their first born daughter her grandmother's name as one of her middle names.
It also appears that the family likeness has remained for another generation with Princess Charlotte even bearing a similarity to her great-grandmother, the Queen.
In a picture of Elizabeth II circa 1930, when she would have been four-years-old, she also sports a round face and cheeks.
The Queen is wearing a frilly party frock and mini necklace in the black and white image - a dress which Charlotte would look equally at home in today.
Another royal who Charlotte draws comparisons to is Lady Sarah Chatto, the only daughter of Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones.
In a 1969 picture of a five-year-old Sarah at the Investiture of Prince Charles, Charlotte's grandfather, the youngster looks smart in a fitted coat and tan shoes.
Charlotte has traditionally worn designer clothes on several occasions - such as the fitted red coat she donned for her first day of nursery.
As well as their physical similarities, Sarah and Charlotte are also both younger sisters and are well practiced at being on best behaviour at royal events.
From boosting colours with Photoshop to keeping poses natural, expert reveals amateur photographer Kate's techniques
ByChloe Morgan For MailonlineBucking the tradition of having an official photographer, doting mother Kate often takes adorable pictures of her children to mark special occasions in the Cambridge diary.
The Duchess, 37, has showcased great skill and technique behind the camera over the years and has today shared three stunning portraits of her daughter, Princess Charlotte, to mark her fourth birthday.
The amateur snapper, who has a lifetime honorary membership of the Royal Photographic Society, took the official photographs at Kensington Palace and the family's Norfolk home of Anmer Hall, earlier this month.
But what go-to skills does the keen snapper use to make such simple pictures of her children so charming?
Kate, 37, has showcased great skill and technique behind the camera over the years and has today shared three stunning portraits of Princess Charlotte to mark her fourth birthday
Portrait photographer Glenn Gratton believes one of the biggest techniques Kate uses to produce such captivating imagery is to us Photoshop for a colour boost. Pictured, in one of the new photographs, Princess Charlotte can be seen taking advantage of some of the unseasonably warm spring weather in a blue floral dress with a Peter Pan collar
Portrait photographer Glenn Gratton, from West London, believes one of the biggest skills Kate uses is Photoshop to achieve a colour boost - along with snapping her own family members.
He told FEMAIL: 'Of course her children feel comfortable being photographed by their mother or someone they know or trust and that way you'll get the best results naturally.'
'She's clearly using Photoshop to make the best of colours throughout the sets of pictures. It's used to enhance colours, control levels of light and give a boost where needed to a photograph - especially if it's been shot outside using natural light or if a portrait has been back lit by the sun.'
And the expert particularly praises Kate's photography style for being natural rather than too posed.
Another photographer Jaimie previously told how Kate always ensures her children's faces are the main focus of her pictures and sometimes sacrifices good framing. In this photo of Princess Charlotte, taken in the garden in Norfolk in 2016, Kate has chopped off the end of her toy
'All the pictures are so very natural rather than staged and often a lot of my high-end clients now like and prefer this style of photography,' he said.
'And some of the high-end weddings I shot last year all wanted this style.'
He also admits the royal's photography skills have come on leaps and bounds over the years, which he partly puts down to new equipment and a newfound confidence.
'You can see a marked improvement over the past few years and this is also probably down to the fact that she is feeling more confident with her camera and no doubt she has upgraded her equipment somewhat,' he explained.
'Very recently there was a royal in the Leica camera store in London. I've used Leica for years now and it gives a beautiful beautiful feel to the pictures - less of a digital look. Kate's going for the 'its been shot on film' look.
He added: 'A modern camera makes pictures look very traditional, unlike just snapping a picture on your phone. She's putting the extra effort in and it's clear in the photos.'
Doting mother Kate also took this adorable picture of Princess Charlotte on her first day at nursery in January 2018 and snapped a cute picture of Princess Charlotte cradling Prince Louis, taken in May last year
Kate's use of colour is praised by paparazzi photographer Jaimie, who told how the Duchess uses bright outfits to make the photos pop. Pictured is Princess Charlotte in a snap taken to mark her second birthday in April 2017
While Kate seems set on her current style for the time being, the professional also predicts she'll soon start mixing it up to keep up with new trends.
'Black and white photography is really coming back,' said Glenn. 'She's not gone down that avenue yet but I'm sure she will experiment with that technique soon. It will require different lighting and exposure techniques.'
He added: 'All in all I think she's given the pictures a genuinely lovely natural feel and it's shows how she improved as a photographer.'
Hands-on parent Kate became the first member of the royal family to take the first official photographs of a royal baby back in 2015, when she released her snaps of newborn Charlotte in the arms of her big brother Prince George.
She then she has captured several official photographs of George, five, Charlotte, three, and Louis, one, to mark important family milestones. Royal fans often wait in trepidation for the pictures, which typically capture their subjects looking natural and relaxed.
Kate previously shared three adorable portraits of Prince Louis, taken in the garden at their home in Norfolk, to mark the first birthday of her youngest son.
Kate's prowess behind the camera was marked officially in 2017, when she was named an honorary member of the Royal Photographic Society. Pictured is Prince Louis, in shots taken earlier this month
In these sets of photographs, London-based award-winning photographer Bronwen Sharpe praises Kate's natural ability to capture 'authentic unstaged moments' - and the fact she chooses her own children as her subjects.
She previously told FEMAIL: 'No other photographer would be able to capture the same connection she has with her children. There is a real warmth and love that is present in her work.
'She has a natural ability to capture humanity with a great eye for composition and colour.'
Her use of colour in the set of Prince Louis was also praised by paparazzi photographer Jaimie Harris.
'She always puts them in bright outfits which make a photo pop,' she explained.
'I think she's definitely improved since her first George and Charlotte photos, she's now experimenting with different light by venturing outside into the garden.'
Kate became the first member of the royal family to take the first official photographs of a royal baby back in 2015, when she released her snaps of newborn Charlotte in the arms of her big brother Prince George
Keen photographer Kate has a lifetime honorary membership of the Royal Photographic Society. Pictured, newborn Charlotte and Prince George
Kate champions British brand Trotters by dressing Charlotte in a £70 floral smock and canvas shoes for her birthday portraits - and a recycled £50 skirt from a London label
ByBryony Jewell For Mailonline
New pictures of Princess Charlotte reveal her thrifty mother's skill at reusing her children's clothes and keeping the young Cambridges' looking smart - even during playtime.
Three photographs taken by the Duchess of Cambridge, 37, at their family home in Norfolk, show the adorable youngster weather her signature smart outfits from British brands Amaia Kids and Trotters.
In two of the snaps, Princess Charlotte is seen wearing a £50 Yarrow tartan plaid skirt from Amaia, which she was also spotted wearing at the Burnham Horse Trials last month.
Princess Charlotte is dressed in a £50 skirt from Amaia Kids and a grey cardigan in two of the new photographs released to mark her fourth birthday
The playful princess, pictured, also wore the skirt to the Burnham Horse Trials last month where she was seen running around with other members of the royal family such as Mia Tindall
In the new official photographs, the outfit is paired with a light grey button up cardigan over a navy blue roll neck top and tights - perfect for the active four-year-old who is seen running with a daffodil.
In another snap released in celebration of Charlotte's fourth birthday, she hugs her knees in a summer dress as she sits crossed legged on a patch of grass at the palace.
The little Princess is wearing the £70 Betsy Dress from high-street store Trotters and teams it with the brand's £26 navy Hampton Canvas Plum Shoes.
It's the same blue floral ensemble she wore to go and visit her little brother, Prince Louis, in hospital for the first time last year.
Princess Charlotte wore a floral print £70 dress and £26 navy shoes from British store Trotters for another of her birthday pictures
The beautiful dress is covered with one of Liberty's most iconic prints and features puff sleeves and a smart cotton poplin Peter Pan collar and blue stitching.
The Duchess of Cambridge has chosen to dress her children in pieces from both of the brands in the past.
Charlotte's red coat in her first day at school pictures is also from Amaia kids, which she coordinated with shoes in a matching colour.
Kate's friend Sophie Carter also used Amaia to dress her young bridal party, which included Prince George and Charlotte, for her wedding last September.
Kate Middleton has shopped at Amaia kids for her three children before and the red coat Charlotte, pictured, wore on her first day of nursery is also from the brand
The Duchess of Cambridge's friend Sophie Carter also used Amaia to dress her young bridal party, which included Prince George and Charlotte, for her wedding last September
This isn't the first time the young royals have been dressed in pieces from high street store Trotters.
In June last year, both George and Charlotte wore matching £26 canvas plimsolls from the brand to watch their dad compete in the Maserati Royal Charity Polo Trophy.
Sophie Mirman and Richard Ross opened the doors to the first Trotters store on the King's Road in Chelsea in 1990, and have since gone on to open six more, with the brand winning awards and numerous high-profile fans.
Mother-of-three Kate appears to be a fan of reusing her children's clothes and getting the most wear out of them as possible.
In the first portraits released of Prince Louis, he wore a matching cream jumper and trouser set previously worn by his sister Princess Charlotte in her own first pictures.
For her little brother's photoshoot, Princess Charlotte re-wore the navy cardigan Prince George fashioned in a Vanity Fair snap celebrating the Queen's 90th birthday.
Kate also reused a blue cardigan with both George and Charlotte from British brand Amaia when they were younger.
Both Prince George, left, and Princess Charlotte, right, have worn the same blue cardigan
What a beautiful little girl
by aurora-xo 2732