Adorable photos of Prince Louis released to mark his birthday

Happy 4th birthday Louis!

Prince Louis celebrates his fourth birthday on 23 April, so a special Happy Birthday is in order for the youngest of the Cambridges.

To celebrate Prince William and Kate Middleton's youngest son's birthday, the couple released heartwarming photos of their child on social media one day ahead of his actual birthday.

The pair shared two photographs of Princess Charlotte and Prince George's brother playing barefoot in the sand on the beach, followed by another shot of him standing style, with the picturesque landscape behind.

In the photos Louis can be seen wearing a pair of green shorts, paired with a blue and white checked shirt, layered underneath a grey jumper with stars embellished on the front.

The pair of pictures were taken by the Duchess of Cambridge and shared on their official Twitter account, as well as their Instagram account, alongside the caption: "4 years old tomorrow!"

The twee has racked up over 37,000 likes, while the Instagram post has garnered over 616,000 likes.

Fans were quick to gush over the youngster, and send their well wishes to him ahead of the milestone.

One fan commented: "Such a handsome young man!! Happy Birthday."

Some social media users also took the opportunity to point out Louis' lookalikes and the relatives he resembles, from his maternal grandfather to his siblings. 

One shared: "I think he’s a good mix of Charlotte and George! Happy 4th birthday!!"

Another posted: "He looks like grandfather Middleton."

A third shared: "Congratulations Prince Louis he has grown so much and is identical to his brother Prince George they look like twins."

The images are believed to be taken near the Cambridge's Anmer Hall property in Norfolk earlier this month.

Prince Louis, whose full name is Prince Louis Arthur Charles, was born on April 23 in 2018 at 11.01am, weighing 8lb 7oz when he was born.