New photos of Princess Charlotte released ahead of her 4th birthday

Princess Charlotte is turning four and her parents, Prince William and Kate, shared three new photographs of the young royal to celebrate.

The photographs of Charlotte, William and Kate's middle child, were taken in April by Kate at the family's Anmer Hall home in Norfolk, according to Kensington Palace.

They show Charlotte smiling and enjoying the outdoors, from sitting on the grass in a flowered dress to running with a yellow flower in hand and sitting on a fence.

Charlotte has been seen before in family photos and stealing the show as a bridesmaid at royal weddings, but she has the stage all to herself in these new photos.

It was just over one year ago that the adorable young royal posed for photos on the steps of Kensington Palace on her first day of preschool.

Since then, Charlotte has become a big sister to Prince Louis, who was seen in new photographs released just last month for his first birthday.

She will also soon gain a cousin for the first time on her dad's side. Charlotte's aunt, Duchess Meghan, is due to give birth any day to her first child with Prince Harry, meaning the cousins will have a lot to celebrate each May.