LONDON — Prince William and his wife, Kate, marked the 9th birthday of their daughter Charlotte on Thursday by posting a picture of her smiling for the camera as she posed near a plant with pink flowers.

The photo, taken by Kate, the Princess of Wales, was posted on X, accompanied by the words “Happy 9th Birthday, Princess Charlotte!” and a cake emoji.

Princess Charlotte, age 9. (The Prince and Princess of Wales/Kensington Palace/ via AP)

Charlotte turned nine on Thursday; she was born on May 2, 2015.

Kate has tried to ensure that her three children have as much stability as possible as she undergoes treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer. She has stepped away from public duties since undergoing abdominal surgery in January.

In announcing her cancer diagnosis to the nation, Kate said she and William “have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family.”

Earller, on April 23, Kensington Palace released a photograph of Prince Louis to celebrate his 6th birthday. It was the first image by the Princess of Wales that the palace distributed since news organizations, including the Associated Press, withdrew a photo edited by Kate over concerns about digital manipulation.

The photo of Louis had been taken by the princess in the last few days before its release, the palace said in a statement. British media reported that the image, which showed the beaming prince in a plaid shirt, had not been edited.

Louis, born April 23, 2018, is Kate’s youngest child with Prince William, the heir to the throne.

Louis, age 6. (The Prince and Princess of Wales, Kensington Palace via AP)

Prince George, their eldest child, will turn 11 on July 22. He is next in line to the throne after William.

It was in March that Kate apologized for the “confusion” caused by her altering of a different family photo.

That picture, showing Kate seated with all three of her children posing with her, was intended to calm speculation about the princess’ health after she retreated from public duties following abdominal surgery.

Instead, the photo had the opposite effect, with the online rumor mill going into overdrive after news organizations decided to retract it. Kate later announced that she was being treated for cancer.

In addition to the photos of the royal children, Kate and William also recently released a photo from their wedding day. The photo, taken by Millie Pilkington, was posted on X on April 29, the couple’s 13th wedding anniversary.

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