

Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!
Thank you for signing up to Marie Claire. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
- This weekend, Kensington Palace released Princess Charlotte's fifth birthday portraits, which were taken by her mother, Kate Middleton.
- While royal fans have noticed for years just how much Charlotte resembles a young Queen Elizabeth II, the princess' newest portraits highlighted another strong family resemblance—the one between Charlotte and her father, Prince William.
- In April, when the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's youngest child, Prince Louis, celebrated his second birthday, a friend of Kate's revealed that Louis is the only one of her kids who she thinks looks like her.
Princess Charlotte's latest set of birthday portraits prove just how quickly the five-year-old royal is growing up before our very eyes. We can all agree on that point, yes? Good.
After seeing Charlotte's new birthday picture, however, royal fans are split on another point: Which of her royal relatives the young princess looks the most like.
For years now, there's been a strong contingent on people who shout from the rooftops just how much Charlotte looks like a young Queen Elizabeth. Here, for your comparing convenience, is Charlotte's new birthday portrait next to a photo of Elizabeth from 1935, when she was just a few years older than Charlotte is now:
Upon seeing the newest pictures of the young princess, however, many royal fans were struck by just how much she's growing to resemble her dad, Prince William. While it might be hard to imagine it now, with 2020 William in mind, the resemblance becomes clear when you look at Charlotte's new birthday portrait next to a photo of Will from 1988, not long after his sixth birthday:
The eyebrows. The mischievous grins. We totally see it.
There's at least one relative who is bowing out of the "Who Does Charlotte Look Like" competition: Her mom, Kate Middleton.
A post shared by Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@dukeandduchessofcambridge)
A photo posted by on
Last month, when Will and Kate's youngest child, Prince Louis, celebrated his second birthday, a source close to Kate revealed that Louis is the only Cambridge kid who Kate thinks takes after the Middleton side of the gene pool.
"Everyone always comments on how Louis is the spitting image of Kate," the friend told People. "She loves it and thinks it’s very sweet; she often jokes that he’s the only one of her kids who actually looks like her!"
A post shared by Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@dukeandduchessofcambridge)
A photo posted by on
For more stories like this, including celebrity news, beauty and fashion advice, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for the Marie Claire newsletter.
Related stories
Marie Claire Newsletter
Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!

Kayleigh Roberts is a freelance writer and editor with more than 10 years of professional experience. Her byline has appeared in Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, The Atlantic, Allure, Entertainment Weekly, MTV, Bustle, Refinery29, Girls’ Life Magazine, Just Jared, and Tiger Beat, among other publications. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
-
Prince William and Prince Harry Rift: "Happy Families Are Not a Game That Everyone Can Play," Says Expert
Yeesh.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Pierce Brosnan Gave His Wife Keely 60 Roses for Her 60th Birthday
These two!!!
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Travis Kelce Jerseys Have Seen a "400% Spike in Sales" Amid Rumored Taylor Swift Romance
The power this woman has...
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Prince William and Prince Harry Rift: "Happy Families Are Not a Game That Everyone Can Play," Says Expert
Yeesh.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Prince William and Princess Kate Literally Face the Same Woe as Every Other Parent
They may be royalty, but kids are kids.
By Rachel Burchfield
-
Princess Kate Appears More Confident Than Prince William When on Appearances Without the Other, Body Language Expert Says
It’s the same pattern with King Charles and Queen Camilla, too.
By Rachel Burchfield
-
George, Charlotte and Louis Will Be Laden With Gifts as Prince William Returns From New York
He was handed so many souvenirs for the little ones.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
From a Run in Central Park to a Rat Running Past Him, Prince William Got a Taste of the True NYC Experience
He was in town for just 48 hours.
By Rachel Burchfield
-
Prince William and Kate Middleton Had a Very, Very Awkward First Date
Yikes.
By Rachel Burchfield
-
On Solo NYC Visit, Prince William Showed a “Deeper Confidence”—and Proof That He’s a New Type of Royal
An expert said he appeared “in awe of the U.S.” while stateside.
By Rachel Burchfield
-
Prince William and Princess Kate Hiring a CEO Signals They're "Moving Into a New Age," Says Royal Expert
It's already causing trouble, apparently.
By Iris Goldsztajn