Prince George’s 10th Birthday Portrait.Photo:Millie Pilkington/Kensington Palace via Getty
Millie Pilkington/Kensington Palace via Getty
Happy birthday,Prince George!
Prince George’s new pic is reminiscent of aseries of snapstaken in November 2014, when the 1-year-old royal posed on another set of steps at London’s Kensington Palace for portraits released ahead of Christmas that year.
Pilkington has been behind the camerafor several photos for the Prince and Princess of Wales' family recently, including this year’sbirthday portraitsof Prince George’s younger siblings,Princess Charlotte, 8, andPrince Louis, 5. Pilkington also snapped Prince William with his three children forportraitsreleased last month tocelebrate Father’s Day.
Prince George’s 10th birthday portrait.Millie Pilkington/Kensington Palace via Getty
The Prince and Princess of Wales havereleased official portraitsfor every one of George’s birthdays. When he turned 1, they issued a set of beautiful photos of him and his parents taken at London’s Natural History Museum at a butterfly exhibit.
Although a professional photographer sometimes captured the snap, Kate oftengot behind the camera herselfto take the perfect birthday photo of her son.
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Prince George and Prince Louis at Trooping the Colour 2023.HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty
HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty
Prince George will likely celebrate his birthday out of the public eye with his family. It’s possible the Prince and Princess of Wales, both 41, have taken their three children on a summer vacationas they have in years paston George’s big day.
Withschool out for summer, George stepped out at two events last week — afamily outingat the Royal International Air Tattoo on Friday andthe men’s finalat Wimbledon over the weekend. Prince George and Princess Charlotte cheered excitedly as they watched Carlos Alvaraz defeatNovak Djokovicfrom their front-row seats in the Royal Box at Centre Court.
Princess Charlotte and Prince George watch Wimbledon 2023.Karwai Tang/WireImage
Karwai Tang/WireImage
Despite Prince George’s role as future king, something he’sknown for years, Prince William and Princess Kate strive to give their three kids conventional childhoods filled with playing outdoors, experimenting in the kitchen and visiting the candy store.
“It’s a massive balancing act,“a palace insider tells PEOPLE. “William and Kate are doing the right thing, protecting him so he can have as normal a childhood as possible, but he’s also dipping into duties as a future monarch.”
The insider adds, “He’s getting firsthand experience of what it’s like to be a royal and a monarch and firsthand experience of being a normal boy.”
Prince William and Prince George at the Big Help in May 2023.Daniel Leal - WPA Pool/Getty Images
And while Prince George can appear shy at royal engagements compared to his two siblings, a close family friend tells PEOPLE thatGeorge is a “cracking lad.”
Prince George has shown glimpses of his spirited side, especially when joining Prince William and Princess Kate at sporting events. The young royal hasexuberantly rootedfor his father’s favorite soccer team, Aston Villa, at games andmemorably celebrated goalsas England advanced to the finals of the Euro 2020 tournament. More recently, he wasspotted eating pizzaat a cricket match.
Prince George and Prince Louis at Trooping the Colour 2023.Neil Mockford/Getty
Neil Mockford/Getty
The Princess of Wales' non-royal background has a big impact on how the couple is raising Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
“Those children look pretty happy with life,” apalace insider tells PEOPLE. “A lot of it is the stabilizing normality Kate brings — and that’s how she grew up. William absolutely loves it.”
Prince George with his family at Trooping the Colour 2023.Chris Jackson/Getty
Chris Jackson/Getty
“Royal families over the generations haven’t had the chance to get those foundations right, but they have,” says a friend.
source: people.com
