Lidl Christmas advert viewers stunned by royal lookalike in tear-jerking film

The countdown to Christmas is now on - and TV screens are filled with retailers' festive ads.

And it appears that the seasonal promo for Lidl has left viewers baffled with many claiming it features a young actress with a striking resemblance to Princess Charlotte. The supermarket's ad follows the story of a young girl called Emma, who helps an elderly lady with her groceries after she drops them on the street.

Emma is rewarded with a magical bell that allows her Christmas wishes to come true. And in the true spirit of the season, her wish is to grant a freezing young boy a warm woolly hat, so he is warm enough to come and play with the other children and enjoy a magical sleigh ride in the snowy weather.

The ad is a nod to Lidl's Christmas toy bank appeal and features young actress Ríona Gallagher as Emma. And since the ad has been on screens, viewers have been stunned by the little girl's resemblance to the nine-year-old daughter of the Prince and Princess of Wales.

Taking to X, one said: "Doesn't the girl in this year's #Lidl Christmas Ad look like the lovely Princess Charlotte and of course our late Queen Elizabeth II too?" Another pondered: "Is Princess Charlotte doing the @lidl_ireland Christmas advert ?"

Ríona, 10, is a child actor from County Antrim in Northern Ireland, who has already had several TV and film roles - according to her mum, her likeness to Charlotte has been noticed in the past. Ríona told MailOnline: "I like that people think I look like Princess Charlotte because she is very pretty and she is a princess! 'It's a nice thing for people to say."

It comes as royal fans will be hoping Charlotte, along with her brothers Prince George and Prince Louis, will be attending a very festive event in the next few weeks. It has been confirmed that their mum Kate will be hosting her annual Christmas Carol Concert on December 6 at Westminster Abbey.

The princess set her sights on being able to stage the Together At Christmas service in 2024 despite the health challenges she has faced, and it forms part of her gradual return to public duties after finishing chemotherapy treatment in the summer.

Kensington Palace said: "This year's service provides a moment to reflect upon the importance of love and empathy, and how much we need each other, especially in the most difficult times of our lives.

"The service will shine a light on individuals from all over the UK who have shown love, kindness and empathy towards others in their communities." The Palace added: "This year, Her Royal Highness wanted to celebrate the many people supporting those in need – individuals who have inspired, counselled, comforted, and above all else shown that love is the greatest gift we can receive.

"This theme takes inspiration from the Christmas story which encourages us to consider the experiences of others and the important human need of giving and receiving empathy." The royal children all attended the event together with their parents last year along with the Middleton family and other members of the Firm including the Duchess of Edinburgh, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.