MARKING BIRTHDAY WITH LOVED ONES PRINCESS CHARLOTTE GROWING UP FAST AS SHE CELEBRATES TURNING NINE

Birthday girl Princess Charlotte beams for her mother’s camera in a beautiful new image taken to celebrate her turning nine.

- EMILY NASH

The Prince and Princess of Wales’s only daughter bears a striking resemblance to both her parents as she leans against a fence entwined with pink blooms at the family’s home in Windsor.

In a touching nod to the late Queen, with whom she shares a name, the plant is a clematis Elizabeth.

With her waist-length fair hair worn loose over a dark red cardigan, and sporting a sweet friendship bracelet on her right wrist, she is clearly growing up fast.

The charming photograph, taken by Kate, was shared on social media with the message: “Happy 9th Birthday, Princess Charlotte! Thank you for all of the kind messages today.”

IN THE HISTORY BOOKS

Born on 2 May 2015, weighing 8lb 3oz, Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana made history when she became the first female child of a future monarch to benefit from the Perth Agreement, which changed the rules of primogeniture to ensure that royal girls do not lose their place in the line of succession to younger brothers.

And the third in line to the throne has given every impression of being her brothers’ equal, even appearing to keep them in check during public events.

Charlotte was spotted reminding older brother Prince George, now ten, to bow to the coffin of their great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth II at her state funeral, and kept Prince Louis, now six, under control during last year’s Trooping the Colour, placing her hand over his to calm his enthusiastic waving from the carriage.