Royals Prince Louis Wears Go-to Uniform in 6th Birthday Portrait — and Other Details You May Have Missed Princess Kate hopped behind the camera for her youngest son's birthday photo, taken in a favorite setting By Janine Henni Janine Henni Janine Henni is a Royals Staff Writer for PEOPLE Digital, covering modern monarchies and the world's most famous families. Like Queen Elizabeth, she loves horses and a great tiara moment. People Editorial Guidelines and Simon Perry Simon Perry Simon Perry is a writer and correspondent at PEOPLE. He has more than 25 years’ experience at PEOPLE covering the royals, human interest and celebrity. People Editorial Guidelines Updated on April 23, 2024 10:17AM EDT Prince Louis is officially 6 — and there's lots to love about his new birthday photo. On April 23, Kate Middleton and Prince William released a new portrait of their youngest son to mark the milestone. The smiling close-up of Prince Louis, recently taken by Princess Kate in Windsor, has lots of Easter eggs for royal fans to spot. Prince Louis appears to be wearing his go-to uniform: shorts! It’s typical for upper-class boys in Britain to wear shorts in their younger years, and Prince Louis even sported shorts on Christmas for the royal family’s holiday walk to St. Mary Magdalene Church at Sandringham in December 2022 before switching to tartan pants last year. Prince Louis’ checked button-down shirt is also a staple of his wardrobe, including past birthday portraits, though it's sometimes topped with a sweater. His top is also reminiscent of the shirt his big brother Prince George wore for his 10th birthday portrait taken by photographer Millie Pilkington, released in July 2023. Prince Louis at Windsor by Kate Middleton in April 2024. The Princess of Wales All About Prince Louis, Kate Middleton and Prince William’s 6-Year-Old Son The Prince and Princess of Wales’ youngest son also sported a shorter haircut as compared to when he was last seen at Christmas and might be missing a bottom tooth! The little prince was all smiles for the birthday photo taken by his mother, where he leaned on his arms while lying on a blanket in the grass. Princess Kate, 42, is known to often hop behind the camera for her children’s birthdays and often takes the pictures outside. Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis’ birthdays make for ideal outdoor shoots, as they were all born in the spring or summer months. Prince William and Princess Kate shifted tradition regarding the release of Prince Louis’ 6th birthday photo and shared the shot to social media on their son’s birthday for the first time. In years past, the royal couple published birthday portraits on Prince Louis’ birthday eve. "Happy 6th Birthday, Prince Louis! Thank you for all the kind wishes today," read the caption from Prince William and Princess Kate, with photo credit to the Princess of Wales. From left: Prince Louis and Kate Middleton attend Christmas church on December 25, 2023. Mark Cuthbert/UK Press/Getty Why Kate Middleton Waited Until George, Charlotte and Louis Were Off from School to Share Cancer News It was unclear whether the couple would share a new picture for Prince Louis’ birthday amid the family’s appeal for privacy as Princess Kate undergoes treatment for cancer. PEOPLE understands that the Prince and Princess of Wales decided to release the image as a way of thanking well-wishers who have reached out to wish Prince Louis a happy birthday. Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! (From left) Kate Middleton, Princess Charlotte, Prince George, Prince William and Prince Louis in Sandringham on December 25, 2023. Samir Hussein/WireImage The photo has not been edited, PEOPLE understands. Last month, Princess Kate apologized for editing a photo taken by Prince William of her with their children to mark Mother's Day in the U.K. on March 10. The image was significant as the first official picture of Princess Kate amid her private recovery following her abdominal surgery in January. Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis recently returned to the classroom following a break around the Easter holiday and might mark Louis’ birthday in a sweet way at home: cake baked by Princess Kate. "I love making the cake," the Princess of Wales said on A Berry Royal Christmas in 2019. "It's become a bit of a tradition that I stay up 'til midnight with ridiculous amounts of cake mix and icing, and I make far too much. But I love it."