LONDON, UK — Prince William and his wife, Kate, marked the 9th birthday of their daughter Charlotte on Thursday by posting a picture of her smiling for the camera as she posed near a plant with pink flowers.
The photo, taken by Kate, the Princess of Wales, was posted on X, accompanied by the words “Happy 9th Birthday, Princess Charlotte!” and a cake emoji.
Kate has tried to ensure that her three children have as much stability as possible as she undergoes treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer. She has stepped away from public duties since undergoing abdominal surgery in January.
In announcing her cancer diagnosis to the nation, Kate said she and William “have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family.''
Earlier this week, William provided a rare health update on Kate. When asked by onlookers how Kate and the children are doing, William replied "we're all doing well," according to video shared on social media by Daily Mail Royals and others.
Last month, Kensington Palace distributed a new photo of Prince Louis for his 6th birthday. That picture was the first image by the Princess of Wales the palace had distributed since the controversy over an edited Mother's Day photo of Kate and her children.
Charlotte is third in line to the British throne behind her grandfather King Charles, her father Prince William and her older brother Prince George - who turns 11 in July.
It has become a birthday tradition for Kensington Palace to release snapshots on George, Louis and Charlotte's birthdays that were taken by their mother.