A 'happy birthday' is in order for Princess Charlotte who turns eight today! To celebrate the occasion, the Prince and Princess of Wales took to their official Instagram page to share a previously unseen portrait of the young royal.

In the photo – which was taken by Kate Middleton – Charlotte wears a white, floral dress and beams at the camera. "Wishing Princess Charlotte a very happy birthday! 8 tomorrow," the caption read, along with a photo credit to "The Princess".

Unsurprisingly, the portrait went down a royal treat, racking up over half a million likes and plenty of comments – many of them pointing out how similar Charlotte looks to her father.

"Looks just like her dad!" one royal fan commented on the post, as someone else said: "Looks so much like her dad in this shot!! Just beautiful."

"So like her dad in this photo!" another person responded, as a fourth fan added: "She's so beautiful and looks a lot like her dad."

Over the weekend the young royal enjoyed a special – and secret – day out with her mum to mark her birthday. Both Princess Charlotte and the Princess of Wales were spotted by royal fans at a ballet performance, and they took to the stage at the end of the show for a photo opportunity.

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"First visit to @TheRoyalOpera in @CoventGardenLDN to see #Cinderella. Wonderful ballet with fabulous performances by a great cast. And who should be in the audience? The Princess of Wales with Princess Charlotte and her friends," a spectator tweeted after seeing the royal pair.

Later this week there'll be even more to celebrate too, with King Charles III's coronation taking place on Saturday 6 May.

Head here for everything you need to know about King Charles III's coronation...

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Jade Biggs
Freelance Writer
Jade Biggs (she/her) is one of Cosmopolitan UK's freelance writers, working across all sections including entertainment, beauty, body, and sex and relationships. She previously held the position of Features Writer, covering everything from breaking news and the latest royal gossip, to the health and fitness trends taking over your TikTok feed. Jade has a degree in journalism and has been a journalist and content editor for ten years, interviewing leading researchers, high-profile influencers, and industry experts in that time. She is a cat mom to four fur babies and is obsessed with Drag Race, bottomless brunches, and wearing clothes only suitable for Bratz dolls. Follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.