A new portrait of Prince George has been released to mark his 13th birthday, showing the second-in-line to the throne smiling in a photograph taken at Kensington Palace before Trooping the Colour last month.
Birthday Photo Released
The snap, made public by his parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales, was taken by Matt Porteous, a favoured photographer of William and Kate. It was posted on social media with the message: "Happy 13th Birthday, George!" along with a party popper emoji.
Milestone Birthday
Prince George was born on 22 July 2013 at the Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, London, weighing 8lbs 6oz. He was christened George Alexander Louis at the Chapel Royal at St James' Palace, with godparents including Zara Tindall, the Duke of Westminster, and Julia Samuel.
Now a teenager, George is as tall as his mother and faces a pivotal year. In September, he will start at Eton College, where he is expected to board full-time. The £63,000-a-year school is where his father William also studied.
Growing Public Role
The young prince has been making more public appearances, including at Trooping the Colour and Wimbledon. Last month, he carried out his first official joint engagement with his mother, visiting the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight at RAF Coningsby.
Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond told the Mirror: "It's obviously a huge year ahead for George. Becoming a teenager is still quite a landmark in any young life. But when it means you are also moving schools and essentially leaving home – at least on a part-time basis – it's pretty momentous."
Balancing Royal Life and Childhood
William and Kate have tried to balance preparing George for his future role while allowing him and his siblings, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, to have a normal childhood. His time at school is fiercely protected, and for milestones like birthdays, carefully chosen family photos are released.
Despite an uptick in public events, Bond does not expect significantly more royal duties for George soon: "I don't think we're going to see George taking part in an increased number of official royal duties in the near future. Quite frankly, he has enough on his plate with his new school and his education."
