Full Breakdown
Prince Louis Marks Eighth Birthday with New Cornwall Photo and Video
4/25/2026, 2:56:18 AM
Core Event
On 23 April, the Prince and Princess of Wales marked Prince Louis’s eighth birthday with a new portrait and video posted on Kensington Palace’s Instagram, both filmed during a family holiday in Cornwall earlier that month.
Background & Tradition
Since Prince George’s birth, the Wales family has issued an annual birthday portrait for each child, offering a casual glimpse of the royals outside formal duties and typically coordinated by a trusted photographer.
Key Figures & Data
Prince Louis of Wales, born 23 April 2018 at St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, is the third child of Prince William and Kate Middleton, fourth in line to the throne, and a student at Lambrook School near Windsor. His parents, Prince William, Duke of Cornwall, and Catherine, Princess of Wales, co-authored the Instagram posts. Photographer Matt Porteous captured the portrait (Louis in a blue jumper on a boat) and the video (Louis in a wetsuit playing cricket, digging and sprinting). King Charles III and Queen Camilla reshared the post on the Royal Family’s Instagram Story.
Official Statements & Responses
The couple’s Instagram caption for the portrait read “Happy birthday, Louis! 8 today!” and the video thanked well-wishers with “8 is great.” King Charles III and Queen Camilla reshared the post with a birthday wish. No formal statements accompanied the release.
On-the-Ground Visuals
The video shows Louis leaping from a boat into the sea, splashing in a wetsuit, wielding a cricket bat, digging a sand pit and running along the shoreline, highlighting his energetic, “sporty” side.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Media outlets do not name the specific Cornish beach, and the footage date is only described as “earlier this month” or “earlier in April.” The boat’s name and ownership remain undisclosed.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Happy birthday, Louis! 8 today!” — Prince William & Kate Middleton
- “Thank you for all the birthday wishes for Prince Louis. 8 is great!” — Prince William & Kate Middleton
- “The Prince and Princess of Wales have marked Prince Louis’ eighth birthday with exactly what royal fans hoped for — sunshine, smiles and a snippet of family life on a boat by the Cornish Sea,” — Helena Chard, broadcaster (Fox News)
What’s Next
The Wales family is expected to observe the birthday privately at their Windsor residence later on 23 April. Later that day Prince William posted images from a visit to Jaguar TCS Racing’s electric-vehicle facility, indicating a continuation of his public duties alongside the family’s private celebrations.
