The Princess of Wales has driven royal fans crazy after sharing an unseen childhood photo of herself celebrating Christmas with the family – with many calling Prince Louis her “twin”.
The Queen, 41, shared the image from the Middleton family photo album on Instagram this afternoon to promote her carol service, which will air on ITV at 7.45pm on Christmas Eve.
The heartwarming photo was taken in 1983 when the mother of three was just a month shy of her second birthday.
In the picture, the Princess of Wales can be seen in a red and blue striped dress, a dark blue cardigan and a colorful pearl necklace.
The queen – who had short brown hair – is seen transfixed by something in the distance as she sits at the table.
Kate. The 41-year-old was a month shy of her second birthday when the photo was taken in December 1983
Behind the Royal is a dark wood mantel covered in pine branches, ribbons and fairy lights.
The image's caption read: “We share some festive memories this Christmas as Shaping Us is all about the crucial importance of our early years and the role the people around us play in shaping the rest of our lives.”
The image has already racked up over 30,000 likes and delighted the royal couple's followers – with many comparisons between Kate and Prince Louis.
One gushed: “Aww what a lovely surprise!! “Her Royal Highness was such a sweet baby.”
Another gushed: “Oh wow I thought it was Prince Louis!”
“Wow she really copied and pasted Louis,” said a third.
“Double Prince Louis,” said a fourth.
“At first I thought it was Louis,” echoed a fifth. 'So sweet!!'
Royal fans raved about how much Prince Louis resembles his mother, the Princess of Wales, in their unpublished childhood photo
The image has already racked up over 30,000 likes and delighted the royal couple's followers – with many comparisons between Kate and Prince Louis.
The image was posted to Instagram this afternoon to promote the Princess of Wales's Christmas Eve service, which will be broadcast on ITV at 7.45pm on Christmas Eve
The Princess of Wales and Princess Charlotte (left) smile as Prince Louis (centre) looks on at the Christmas service
The Princess of Wales kneels to light Prince Louis' candle for the concert on December 9th
Princess Kate was seen high-fiving by scouts from the 3rd Upton Scout Group in Slough on the day of the concert
The carol service was held at Westminster Abbey in London on December 9 and was attended by Prince William and the couple's three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
The royal children were seen entering the event at Westminster Abbey – while five-year-old Prince Louis once again attracted attention by blowing out his sister's candle and chatting to a statue outside.
Before the concert began, Kate walked around the abbey and spoke to young people who were doing inspirational activities.
This year, the Princess of Wales has stepped up her work on her Shaping Us campaign, which focuses on the importance of early childhood.
Kate has previously described the Shaping Us initiative as her “life’s work”.
At a launch event in January, the king said: “The campaign is fundamentally about shining a spotlight on the crucial importance of early childhood and how it shapes the adults we become.”
“During this time we lay the foundations and building blocks for life.” And then we learn to understand ourselves, understand others and understand the world in which we live.
“That’s why it’s important to not only understand the unique significance of our earliest years, but also what we can all do to help raise future generations of happy, healthy adults.”
The initiative is a long-term project of the Princess that begins with a child's development and the importance of the formative years.