New photo of Prince Alexander of Sweden released to celebrate his fourth birthday

Prince Alexander of Sweden, the first child of Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia, turned four on Sunday.

To mark the occasion, Prince Carl Phillip and Princess Sofia shared a portrait of Prince Alexander on their official Instagram account with the caption, "Congratulations to our beloved Alexander on his 4th anniversary."

For the portrait, the young royal posed smiling in a striped shirt and black sweater, with his gorgeous blonde locks tucked neatly behind his ears. The royal portrait was taken by his father Prince Carl Phillip, the Duke of Värmland, reports Hello!

Prince Alexander, born on April 19, 2016, at Danderyd Hospital in Sweden, is fifth in line of succession to the Swedish throne, after his aunt Crown Princess Victoria, cousins Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar, and father Carl Phillip. At the time of his birth, he was announced by his paternal grandfather, King Carl XVI Gustaf, as His Royal Highness Prince Alexander Erik Hubertus Bertil, Duke of Södermanland.

However, the young royal is no longer styled as the His Royal Highness, as King Carl XVI Gustaf removed the status and position for his grandchildren through his son, Carl Philip, and daughter, Princess Madeleine, in a decision taken in October last year. The Swedish monarch's eldest daughter Princess Victoria, the heir apparent, and her children will retain their titles as His/Her Royal Highnesses.

As Sweden battles with the coronavirus pandemic, Alexander celebrated his special day in isolation with his parents and younger brother Prince Gabriel at their royal residence at Villa Solbacken.

Sofia, meanwhile, has been battling the pandemic on the frontline by assisting the healthcare work at the Sophiahemmet hospital. The 35-year-old started working as a healthcare assistant last week after taking a three-day medical course at Sophiahemmet University College in Stockholm, where she is an honorary chair member.

Pictures of the former model released by Swedish royal court last week showed her in a blue and white scrub posing with other staff members at the hospital, who all kept a safe distance from each other. The royal herself shared a picture of her scrub printed with her name on her Instagram account last Wednesday and wrote: "To have the opportunity to help in this difficult time is extremely rewarding."