Lifestyle

CARBON COPY

Prince William Poses for Sweet Photo With Lookalike Daughter

Commenters mused that Princess Charlotte’s smile was “copy-and-pasted” from her father.

Cailey PetschHealth and Beauty Intern

PublishedJun 22, 2026, 2:08 PM EDT

UpdatedJun 22, 2026, 2:09 PM EDT

Updated Jun 22, 2026, 2:09 PM EDTPublished Jun 22, 2026, 2:08 PM EDT

Comments

Princess Charlotte may have inherited Kate Middleton’s flowing chestnut-brown hair and hazel eyes, but her smile screams Prince William.

William, Prince of Wales, was pictured next to his only daughter in an Instagram post celebrating his 44th birthday and Father’s Day on June 21.

“Happy birthday and Father’s Day to the best Papa in the World! We love you very much,” the photo’s caption reads.

The post is signed “C, G, C, & L,” referring to his wife, Kate Middleton, and his children: Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.

Prince William is wearing his decorated ceremonial uniform as he poses with 11-year-old Charlotte in the photo. After it was posted, people on social media immediately noted the pair’s near-identical smiles.

Charlotte wears a cream-colored dress with a Peter Pan-style collar and puff sleeves. The Princess’s long brown hair is fashioned in a half-up, half-down style—similar to the look her mother sometimes wears—and secured with a matching ivory bow.

Princess Charlotte is the middle child of Princess Catherine, 44, of Wales, and Prince William. She is a year younger than her older brother, Prince George, and three years older than the couple’s youngest child, Prince Louis.

The Prince and Princess of Wales were met with a wave of Instagram comments congratulating the dad on his family while noting his daughter’s striking resemblance to him.

​“Oh my days, Charlotte is so much like her dad,” said one user.

“Just look at papa’s little mini me,” another wrote, while another said, “Charlotte really is her Daddy’s twin.”

One fan pointed out a resemblance to an earlier generation, writing, “Someone really looks like her granny.”

It is unclear whether the commenter is referring to her late grandmother, Princess Diana, who died in 1997, or her great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, who died in 2022.

Charlotte was just seven years old when her great-grandmother died in 2022. The late queen’s radiant smile, poised nose, and brunette hair are all prominent features, noticeable in the photo of Princess Charlotte and her father.

​Based on the pair’s outfits, the Father’s Day photo was likely taken during the Trooping the Colour festivities on June 13, which marked King Charles III’s ceremonial birthday celebration.

BFFS

King Charles Wears Gen-Z Bracelet for 2026's Biggest Event

Roosa Rahkonen

The event was attended by William and Kate’s family as well as Queen Camilla, 78.

​The father-daughter duo picture was taken by Matt Porteous. The photographer has previously captured the family before, including a solo picture of Charlotte, which he posted on May 2 for her 11th birthday.

​Porteous also photographed the family’s group portrait in 2026, in which the five family members posed with their black English cocker spaniel, Orla.

royal remix

Why Kate & William's Anniversary Pic Breaks Royal Tradition

Roosa Rahkonen

The photo was posted in April to mark the “crystal anniversary” of the Prince and Princess of Wales’s 2011 wedding.

Play Video

Cailey PetschHealth and Beauty Intern

Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast.