Prince Louis denied royal tradition after devastating Kate Middleton controversy
Prince Louis is set to face birthday disappointment as Kensington Palace deviates from a cherished royal tradition, leaving fans across the world missing out on the usual treat of a new photo to celebrate his sixth birthday.
Since his birth on April 23, 2018, it's been customary for Kensington Palace to share an adorable snap of the young prince, taken by his mother, to mark each of his birthdays - but this year breaks with that tradition.
The choice to forego the release of a fresh photograph this time around may be linked to the controversy sparked by the last family portrait shared. On March 10, a heartwarming photo of Kate Middleton with her three children Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Louis was published in honour of Mother's Day.
But shortly after its release, several global picture agencies withdrew the image amid concerns over its editing. They pointed out irregularities such as the alignment of Charlotte's hand, the lay of her skirt, and the placement of Kate's zipper.
The Princess of Wales later shared she had altered the photo and extended her apologies "for any confusion", explaining: "Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing."
Less than a fortnight after this incident, Kate conveyed a sombre message in a video, revealing she had been diagnosed with an unspecified type of cancer. At 42, the future Queen candidly informed the public about undergoing preventative chemotherapy, following the discovery of cancer during post-operative tests after her significant abdominal surgery in January.
Veteran Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams has suggested that the absence of a birthday photo for Prince Louis might be linked to the recent Mother's Day photo incident and Kate's need for "time, space and privacy".
Speaking to the Express, he said: "Royal fans will be disappointed by the lack of a photograph to mark Prince Louis's birthday. It is something of a royal tradition that royal birthdays are celebrated by the release of photographs, Catherine has taken a great many and they are always eagerly awaited.
"This is a shame because of the vexed issue of her Mothering Day photograph. The revelation that it was edited led to a highly embarrassing contretemps and the subsequent revelation that she was not only recovering from abdominal surgery but bravely fighting cancer.
"The video message when she revealed this was probably the bravest by any public figure about their health in Britain. The lack of a photograph on this occasion simply emphasises her need for time, space and privacy which she expressed so movingly in the message and, after the misunderstandings of recent weeks, this should be universally understood."
The nation has grown fond of Louis for his playful behaviour at royal engagements, and traditionally, each of his birthdays has been commemorated with the release of official portraits. Kate captured her third child at Kensington Palace just weeks after his birth and continued the tradition with three photos for his first birthday celebration a year later.
When he celebrated his second birthday amidst the first coronavirus lockdown, five charming photos of Louis with paint-smeared hands were shared. A photo of him riding a bike, taken just before his first day at nursery, marked his third birthday; while his fourth birthday was commemorated with images of him having a fun day at a Norfolk beach.
Last year, his birthday portraits featured Louis being pushed in a chair by the Princess of Wales. This represented a departure from the norm as the picture was taken by photographer Millie Pilkington, not his mother.
