Princess Kate described as Prince Louis’ ‘twin’ after sharing Christmas photo

Kate Middleton is making waves online, with a previously unseen photo of herself as a young child during Christmas celebrations drawing special attention. Photo / Getty Images

Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales has delighted royal fans after she shared an unseen photo from her childhood during a family Christmas, in which she looks strikingly similar to one of her little royal highnesses.

Kate, 41, included the photo from the Middleton family photo album in an Instagram post she shared over the weekend while promoting her ITV Christmas carol service. The service is premiering on Christmas Eve in the UK.

The adorable photo in question was taken in 1983 and shows Kate when she was only a month away from turning 2 years old.

The future Princess of Wales can be seen wearing a blue-and-red striped dress with a navy cardigan on top and a multicoloured bead necklace.

Baby Kate, with short brown hair, appears to have her attention captured by something not in the photo. She seems to be patiently waiting by her plate on the festively decorated table with tea lights.

In the background, there is a wooden mantelpiece decorated with fir tree branches, ribbons and fairy lights, adding to the Christmas spirit.

Five months after the photo was snapped, the Middletons moved to Jordan for her father’s work before they came back to Berkshire in 1996.

“Sharing some festive memories this Christmas because Shaping Us is all about the vital importance of our early years and the role played by those around us in shaping the rest of our lives,” Kate wrote in the caption.

Kate Middleton looks very similar to her youngest child in a throwback photo recently shared on social media. Photo / Instagram

Gaining over 270,000 likes already, the picture was a treat for the royal couple’s fans, who offered their thoughts. The most common theme that arose was the comparisons drawn between Kate and her youngest son, Prince Louis.

“Aww what a lovely surprise!! Her Royal Highness was such a cute baby,” shared one user.

“Wow, she really copied and pasted Louis,” another pointed out.

“I think we can all agree Louis is the spitting image of his mother ... the Middleton gene is visible,” a third exclaimed.

“You’re absolutely lying, this is Louis,” a fourth joked.

The Christmas carol service took place on December 9 at Westminster Abbey in London. Princess Kate was joined in attendance by Prince Willliam and their three children: Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

The royal kids were spotted arriving at the Westminster Abbey service, with Prince Louis, 5, gaining special attention for his antics. He was seen talking to a statue and blowing out his sister Charlotte’s candle.

Before the service started, Kate spent her time wandering the abbey and talking to young people, who were invited as a result of their influential endeavours.

She also talked to celebrities like Jim Broadbent and Adam Lambert in the abbey’s Lady Chapel, where she expressed her thanks. Broadbent agreed to read an extract from JRR Tolkien’s Letters From Father Christmas, which the Princess was grateful for.

“Thank you for your time because I know the lead-up to Christmas can be busy for people,” she said.

The royal family gathered for the Royal Carols - Together At Christmas service at Westminster Abbey on December 8 in London, England. Photo / Getty Images

The Princess also gave a special present to guests in the form of a commemorative performance. She had organised Jacob Collier to perform Last Christmas, which he performed on a piano originally belonging to John Lennon.

Kate seemed to joke with Collier, a talented multi-instrumentalist, about her daughter’s efforts on the piano, where he said: “Many a plink and a plonk.”

Iconic songs performed at the service include Once In Royal David’s City, Silent Night, Holy Night and Joy To The World. Beverley Knight and Adam Lambert performed a rendition of The Christmas Song together.

The abbey was filled with the voices of the congregation, aided by the abbey’s choir. The historic and renowned building was decorated with Christmas trees that were sourced from Windsor Great Park and donated by the King. These trees will be repurposed for communities afterwards.

The Christmas carol service was filmed for ITV and ITV X. It is part of a broader programme called Royal Carols: Together At Christmas, a one-off broadcast premiering at 7.45 pm on Christmas Eve in the UK. The programme will include the carol service as well as an introduction by Kate and a number of films dedicated to highlighting early childhood’s importance.

Princess Kate has been engaging in her Shaping Us initiative over the past year, which campaigns to spread the importance of early childhood years for healthy and happy human development.

The Princess has previously described Shaping Us as her “life’s work”.

Explaining her drive behind the initiative, Kate shared at a launch event in January: “The campaign is fundamentally about shining a spotlight on the critical 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 it is when we learn to understand ourselves, understand others and understand the world in which we live.

“This is why it is essential, to not only understand the unique importance of our earliest years, but to know what we can all do to help raise future generations of happy, healthy adults.”