We can see Princess Charlotte developing in front of our very eyes. On May 2, the middle Cambridge celebrated its fifth birthday (!). The young royal resembles her father Prince William without a doubt, but she also resembles her great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth II. Their birthdays are less than two weeks (and a few decades) apart, so it’s really perfect. If you compare childhood photos of them side by side, you might even think they are sisters, especially when you consider how often they stick out their tongues, wave to the crowds, or otherwise exhibit their sweet, spunky personalities. See for yourself what we mean by looking at these carefully chosen images from gatherings of family and friends, public events, and spontaneous moments.
1.
LEFT: In this image from the late 1920s, Princess Elizabeth is pictured with her mother, the Duchess of York.
RIGHT: During their 2016 royal tour of Canada, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, and Princess Charlotte are captured in a sweet moment in a candid photo.
2.
LEFT: In a portrait from 1928, Princess Elizabeth is seen waving from a toy carriage.
RIGHT: Princess Charlotte enjoyed the balloon display at a kids’ party for military families while she was in Canada.
3.
LEFT: The future Queen is depicted as a 3-year-old in a 1929 photo.
RIGHT: On Christmas Day in 2016, a 2-year-old Princess Charlotte attends church in Bucklebury, Berkshire.
4.
LEFT: Around 1933, Princess Elizabeth amuses herself with a stroller on the Windsor Castle grounds.
RIGHT: To celebrate Charlotte’s second birthday in 2017, Kate Middleton took this picture of her at their Norfolk home.
5.
LEFT: In a dress akin to the ones Charlotte still wears today, a young Princess Elizabeth poses for a portrait.
RIGHT: On May 20, 2017, in Englefield Green, England, Princess Charlotte attends her aunt Pippa Middleton’s wedding to James Matthews.
6.
LEFT: Around 1931, Princess Elizabeth strolls alongside her mother past Edinburgh Castle.
RIGHT: On July 19, 2017, Princess Charlotte of Cambridge and her family fly into Berlin Tegel Airport for an official visit to Germany.
7.
LEFT: Princess Elizabeth attends the Royal Tournament in London in 1930, a military competition for the British Armed Forces.
RIGHT: On April 23, 2018, Princess Charlotte arrives at St. Mary’s Hospital’s Lindo Wing for the birth of her younger brother, Prince Louis.
8.
LEFT: Princess Elizabeth is depicted in an early 1930s portrait wearing a ruched chiffon dress and a flower crown.
RIGHT: Princess Charlotte wore similar attire when she served in the bridal party at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding at Windsor Castle on May 19, 2018.
9.
LEFT: In June 1936, Princess Elizabeth appears at ease on the grounds of the Royal Lodge in Windsor.
RIGHT: On June 10, 2018, Princess Charlotte enjoys jogging around the Beaufort Polo Club in Gloucester, England.
10.
LEFT: In 1936, Princess Elizabeth relaxes with a pet dog at 145 Piccadilly, the address of her childhood home in London.
RIGHT: On July 9, 2018, Princess Charlotte departs from Prince Louis’ christening at St. James’ Palace in London.
11.
LEFT: In 1933, the future Queen travels to Scotland’s Abergeldie Castle, which is located two miles east of the royal estate Balmoral.
RIGHT: Princess Charlotte, chosen as a royal bridesmaid once more, attends Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank’s wedding at St. George’s Chapel on October 12, 2018, in Windsor, England.
12.
LEFT: In a more recent image from June 12, 2016, Queen Elizabeth II surveys the crowds gathered outside Buckingham Palace as she celebrates her 90th birthday.
RIGHT: On June 17, 2017, Princess Charlotte of Cambridge observes the annual Trooping the Colour from a window of Buckingham Palace. An annual parade called Trooping the Colour celebrates the Queen’s real birthday.
