By Rhiannon Mills, royal correspondent
A happy little boy smiling for his mum behind the camera, Prince Louis again looks every bit the fun, cheeky boy who has stolen the show at big royal events in recent years.
He is growing up fast, and we're told the Prince and Princess of Wales are hugely grateful for the birthday wishes they've had as he turns six.
But unlike previous years, it wasn't a given that we were going to see a new photograph of him. Usually, like clockwork, birthday photographs of the children are released, normally taken by the Princess.
But these are described as unprecedented times for them, with Kate being treated for cancer, and their heightened desire for privacy.
There would undoubtedly have been discussions about whether a new picture would just draw the spotlight back onto them, especially when you consider the furore over the last photograph they released for Mother's Day.
On balance, they clearly decided they wanted to put something out on their social media as any parent would, an unedited picture taken by mum, but not release it to the media the night before as they have done previously.
At the moment, with everything they have going on, you can't begrudge them for wanting to do things their way.
