Prince Louis birthday photo snub explained as Kate Middleton breaks royal tradition

Kate Middleton and Prince William's youngest son Prince Louis is reportedly going to have a less-than-traditional sixth birthday today.

The beloved royal youngster is set to miss out on the usual birthday delight as it appears Kensington Palace has opted to abandon a much-loved tradition.

Since his birth on April 23, 2018, fans have eagerly anticipated an annual photo update in recognition of each of his birthdays.

The heartwarming images are usually taken by his mother, Kate, yet this year's birthday seems to deviate from that expectation, reports the Mirror.

Speculation suggests that the decision not to issue a fresh portrait could be related to the controversy created by the last family snapshot shared.

In a tender tribute to Mother's Day, released on March 10, an image featuring Kate and all three children - Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Louis - was revealed.

Yet post-release, several international picture agencies decided to withdraw the photograph due to concerns over its editing.

Observations included issues with the positioning of Charlotte's hand, the draping of her dress, and the alignment of Kate's zipper.

Following the confusion, the Princess of Wales came clean about having tampered with the picture, issuing apologies "for any confusion", and explained: "Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing."

Less than two weeks following this episode, Kate revealed she had been diagnosed with an undetermined type of cancer in a solemn video message.

At the age of 42, the future Queen has openly shared with the public that she is undergoing preventative chemotherapy, following the detection of cancer in post-operative tests after her significant abdominal surgery in January.

Veteran royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams suggested to the Express that the absence of a birthday photo for Prince Louis might be connected to the recent Mother's Day photo incident and Kate's need for "time, space and privacy".

He stated: "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 wheelchair by the Princess of Wales. This represented a departure from the norm as the picture was taken by photographer Millie Pilkington, not his mother.

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