Prince Louis picture sparks uncanny resemblance to Prince William

The young prince bore a remarkable likeness to Prince William at a similar age, with the pair sharing unmistakable facial features.

The sweet snap, shared on the Kensington Royal social media accounts this morning, showed Louis flashing a toothless grin that mirrors images of his father from decades ago.

"Wishing Prince Louis a very Happy 7th Birthday!" read the caption accompanying the photograph.

The portrait was taken by Josh Shinner in Norfolk, showing the young royal sitting amongst a stunning spring backdrop surrounded by bluebells.

The idyllic setting is the garden at Anmer Hall, the Wales family's residence on the Sandringham Estate.

Unlike previous years, the Princess of Wales did not take the photograph herself, instead opting for Shinner, who is one of the family's preferred photographers.

Louis is dressed in a white and blue checked shirt with a £40 green jumper layered over the top, paired with jeans.

Royal fans drew comparisons between Louis's latest portrait and a photograph of Prince William taken during a polo match at Windsor in 1990, days before his eighth birthday.

In the throwback image, William, then nearly eight, was seen clapping at Guards Polo Club on June 16, 1990.

Like his son in the new birthday portrait, William was also missing several milk teeth in the photograph taken 35 years ago.

Both father and son sported similar smart-casual outfits in their respective images, with William wearing a blue and white striped shirt with khaki trousers.

This was not the first time royal observers had noted the uncanny resemblance between father and son, with their similar expressions and mannerisms.

One iconic photo of Louis at the 2022 Trooping the Colour parade showed him covering his ears, overwhelmed by the proceedings.

A similar image of William, aged six, at the same event years earlier captured him looking equally displeased by the surrounding commotion.

Both princes share a distinctive royal wave and have been photographed pointing at crowds from Buckingham Palace's balcony in nearly identical poses.

Louis has seemingly inherited his father's occasional cheeky side, too.

After the photo was posted online, social media users commented on how "grown up" Louis suddenly appeared.

"He looks so grown up," wrote one person on X.

Another well-wisher said: "Oh my, he's really growing up. Happy Happy Birthday, Prince Louis!"