Prince George has turned 11, and as per tradition his proud parents have released an official portrait to mark the occasion.
The young prince, who is second in line to the throne, is shown smiling and looking relaxed – though dressed smartly in a suit and shirt, accessorized with a friendship bracelet.
Taken by the Princess of Wales, the black and white image was published on Kensington Palace’s official social media channels.
It is captioned: “Wishing Prince George a very happy 11th birthday today!”
The latest photo follows the release of a family shot of George, his siblings and his father last month to mark Prince William’s 42nd birthday. Meanwhile, earlier this month, Kensington Palace released an image of George’s brother and sister, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, shot from behind in England soccer kits after the Euros final against Spain.
The Prince and Princess of Wales have made it a tradition to release photos on landmark family occasions, like birthdays, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day and wedding anniversaries. Like this one, many of the pictures have been taken by the princess, who’s a keen amateur photographer.
Another recent pic of Charlotte, this time with George and her father, was tweeted by Taylor Swift on June 22. It showed the singer with the royals and her boyfriend, American football star Travis Kelce, backstage in London during her Eras tour. This may explain the significance in the official portrait of George’s friendship bracelet – a must-have accessory for all Swifties.
Kate stepped away from public duties in January, following what Kensington Palace said at the time was surgery for a non-cancerous abdominal condition. In March, amid speculation about her wellbeing, she revealed she had been diagnosed with cancer after the operation, and was undergoing treatment.
She gave an update on her health on June 14, saying she had made “good progress” in her recovery. But she said she expected her treatment to last for a few more months and was “not out of the woods yet.”
Prince George sports a friendship bracelet as well as more traditional attire in a photo commemorating his 11th birthday. (The Princess of Wales)