While fans around the globe are waiting with bated breath for Baby Sussex’s imminent arrival, Kensington Palace is serving up some royal cuteness in the meantime in honor of birthday girl Princess Charlotte. She's growing up so fast! The Duchess of Cambridge / Reuters The little princess, who turns 4 on May 2, is pictured in three new official photographs released by the palace Wednesday ahead of her big day. In one image, she's wearing a blue floral dress and is sitting on the grass. In two other pics, she's dressed in a plaid skirt and gray sweater. Princess Charlotte is loving the outdoors! The Duchess of Cambridge / Reuters The portraits, taken by Charlotte’s mom, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, at Kensington Palace and at their family home in Norfolk, were shared across the official social media accounts of Kensington Palace. Smile for the camera, Princess Charlotte! The Duchess of Cambridge / Reuters Charlotte — who is fourth in line to the throne just behind big brother Prince George, 5 — is the second wee royal to celebrate a birthday this spring. Her younger brother, Prince Louis, turned 1 on April 23, and Kensington Palace put out adorable photos in the same fashion. Young Charlotte was a busy bee this past year, appearing in not one, not two, but three (!) weddings along with brother George, two of which were royal. The princess served as a bridesmaid in the nuptials of Princess Eugenie in October, the ceremony of her godmother Sophie Carter in September, and of course, the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in May. Princess Charlotte with mom Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, at the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in May 2018. Andrew Matthews / AP It's become a royal tradition for the palace to release photos of Charlotte to mark her birthday each May. Princess Charlotte pictured on her first birthday in 2016 (left) and second birthday in 2017 (right). Reuters/Getty Images Last year, she was joined by little brother Louis for official photographs marking the baby prince's birth and the toddler princess' third birthday. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are very pleased to share two photographs of Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, taken by The Duchess at Kensington Palace. This image was taken on 2nd May, on Princess Charlotte’s third Birthday. pic.twitter.com/H5VVgIwRGp — Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) May 5, 2018 These royal tykes just get bigger (and cuter) by the year. Happy birthday, Charlotte!<doc-sep>Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s baby may not have arrived yet, but royal watchers have something to tide them over—three new portraits of Princess Charlotte. “The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are very pleased to share three new photographs of Princess Charlotte ahead of her fourth birthday tomorrow,” Kensington Palace wrote in a statement. “The photographs were taken in April by the duchess at Kensington Palace and at their home in Norfolk.” Two of the photos show the princess enjoying the outdoors. In one, she leans against a fence, smiling sweetly in a gray sweater as tree branches dangle in the background. In another, she laughs while holding a daffodil. Photo: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge / Courtesy of Kensington Palace In a third, she sits in the grass, wearing a blue floral dress and matching shoes. Her hair is adorned with a navy ribbon. Photo: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge / Courtesy of Kensington Palace The portraits come a little over a week after new photos of Prince Louis were released for his first birthday. Those were taken in Norfolk, at their home of Anmer Hall, as well. Their country estate is the site of many important photographic family milestones—the Cambridge family Christmas card was also taken on the Anmer Hall grounds. All the Portraits of the Royal Children Over the Years:<doc-sep>The little princess’s birthday will be spent at home privately where there will be a family celebration Princess Charlotte Is a Little Lady in New Birthday Photos Taken by Kate Middleton — See All 3! Happy birthday, Princess Charlotte! In honor of the royal’s fourth birthday on May 2, proud parents Kate Middleton and Prince William released three new photos of their daughter on Wednesday. Get push notifications with news, features and more. “The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are very pleased to share three new photographs of Princess Charlotte ahead of her fourth birthday tomorrow,” the palace said in a statement. Photographed by mom Kate in April on the grounds of the family’s Norfolk home, Anmer Hall, and at Kensington Palace, Charlotte — who goes by the nickname Lottie — shows off her playful side. In one of the photos, Charlotte sits sweetly in the grass with her hands crossed over her blue flowered dress from Trotters with a Peter Pan collar — and adorable retro-style navy canvas shoes. Mom Kate also styled her hair with a matching navy bow. Princess Charlotte fourth birthday Princess Charlotte | Credit: PA Images/Sipa In the other two snaps, Charlotte is full of energy with her hair pulled back in a ponytail in her tartan-style dress by Amaia — and it has quickly become one of her favorites. The royal also wore it during a recent playdate with big brother Prince George and her cousins. The photos come just one week after Will and Kate released new photos of Prince Louis for his first birthday. Princess Charlotte fourth birthday Princess Charlotte | Credit: PA Images/Sipa The little princess’s birthday will be spent at home privately where there will be a family celebration. Her big day comes after a public holiday for May Day in the U.K, so her family and friends will have no trouble getting time off to help the royal family celebrate the little one. It has been a memorable year for Charlotte. She had a big role in not just one, but two royal weddings. She served as a bridesmaid in Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s nuptials in May and then again for Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank’s wedding in October. And the young royal took charge on the big day. “She was really sweet,” a royal wedding guest of Meghan and Harry’s wedding told PEOPLE. “There was one girl who wanted to go and she said, ‘No you can’t go yet. We have to wait until we are asked.’ She was really organized!” Charlotte, who became a big sister last year with the birth of baby brother, Prince Louis, has grown closer to her fellow “live wire” cousins during fun playdates and royal family gatherings. Princess Charlotte fourth birthday Credit: PA Images/Sipa The royal has also been perfecting her pirouettes and pliés at a dance school in South London, where she has been taking private ballet lessons, PEOPLE has learned. “My daughter Charlotte loves dancing,” William proudly told attendees at a Commonwealth reception in March. Charlotte will join her big brother, Prince George, at Thomas’s Battersea in the fall. Candid portraits have become a tradition for the royal family. For Charlotte’s first birthday, mom Kate got behind the camera to take the sweet pictures, which showed Charlotte playing around the family’s home of Anmer Hall in adorable pink and blue outfits (with matching bows! ). Princess Charlotte Princess Charlotte at 1 year old Can’t get enough of PEOPLE’s Royals coverage? Sign up for our newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! princess-charlotte-2000x1333 Credit: The Duchess of Cambridge/PA Wire For her second birthday, Kate took another adorable photo outside of Anmer Hall — this time Charlotte sported a navy bow. louis-a Princess Charlotte at 3 years old with Prince Louis | Credit: Duchess of Cambridge/PA Wire<doc-sep>(CNN) This little princess keeps growing up. In honor of Princess Charlotte 's fourth birthday on Thursday, Kensington Palace released three new photos of the royal. Taken by her mom, the Duchess of Cambridge Kate, Charlotte poses for the camera in three photos around the family's Norfolk home, Anmer Hall. In one photo, Charlotte sits in the grass, looking sweet and innocent with her hands crossed over her blue flowered dress. In the others, the energetic princess runs around wearing a gray cardigan, a plaid skirt and dark-colored leggings. Charlotte is the fourth in line to the British throne. Read More<doc-sep>
Prince William and Kate Middleton marked their daughter's milestone by releasing three new photos of Princess Charlotte Party at the palace! Princess Charlotte turns 4 on Thursday, and she’ll be making the most of the birthday celebrations, according to dad Prince William. The father of three, 36, reported for royal duty on his daughter’s big day, hosting an Investiture at Buckingham Palace. After presenting Julia Donaldson with her CBE, Prince William told the children’s author that Charlotte would be having a “rowdy party with lots of friends,” according to ITV News. William and Kate Middleton marked their daughter’s milestone by releasing three new photos of Charlotte on Wednesday. “The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are very pleased to share three new photographs of Princess Charlotte ahead of her fourth birthday tomorrow,” the palace said in a statement. Photographed by mom Kate in April on the grounds of the family’s Norfolk home, Anmer Hall, and at Kensington Palace, Charlotte — who goes by the nickname Lottie — shows off her playful side. Princess Charlotte fourth birthday Credit: PA Images/Sipa In one of the photos, Charlotte sits sweetly in the grass with her hands crossed over her blue flowered dress from Trotters with a Peter Pan collar — and adorable retro-style navy canvas shoes. Mom Kate also styled her hair with a matching navy bow. Princess Charlotte fourth birthday Princess Charlotte | Credit: PA Images/Sipa In the other two snaps, Charlotte is full of energy with her hair pulled back in a ponytail in her tartan-style dress by Amaia — and it has quickly become one of her favorites. The royal also wore it during a recent playdate with big brother Prince George and her cousins. Princess Charlotte fourth birthday Princess Charlotte | Credit: PA Images/Sipa Meghan Markle and Prince Harry – who are awaiting the birth of their first child – also made sure to send birthday love to Princess Charlotte.