As he prepares to turn a year older on July 22, Prince George's new royal portrait seems like the perfect way to celebrate his 4th birthday. On Friday, Kensington Palace released the photo to commemorate the young prince's, who's third in line to the throne, special day.
The adorable photograph, which was taken by Getty Images' royal photographer Chris Jackson, depicts George as a happy young tot, smiling from ear-to-ear. Along with its release, the Palace issued a statement, thanking the public for their well wishes for the young prince:
"The Duke and Duchess are very pleased to share this lovely picture as they celebrate Prince George's fourth birthday, and would like to thank everyone for all of the kind messages they have received."
ABC News reports that George's birthday celebration will take place in the U.K. on Saturday, his actual birthday. He'll be returning home from a Royal Tour of Germany and Poland with his family. During their tour, Prince William reportedly joked to a group of students in Hamburg, "George has got a big tummy. He'll probably end up eating all his cake himself." That certainly sounds like the perfect way for the 4-year-old to spend his big day.
The recent snapshot of George is part of what's become a tradition for the Royal Family, as they've released yearly photos of the prince and his younger sister, Princess Charlotte, as a means to celebrate their early milestones.
1st Birthday
Prince George has certainly seemed to sprout rather quickly over the years, as his 1st birthday photo featuring some baby steps form the newly walking tot.
2nd Birthday
It really doesn't get much cuter than this adorable photo of Prince George and his doting father, which was released by the palace in celebration of George's 2nd birthday.
3rd Birthday
The royal toddler seems to have it all figured out in his 3rd birthday debut, as strides along in another photo released by Kensington Palace.
At 4, George will reportedly be entering a new school this September, as indicated by ABC. The palace made the announcement about George's preschool plans in conjunction with the George's birthday shoutout:
"Their Royal Highnesses are delighted to have found a school where they are confident George will have a happy and successful start to his education."
Time certainly flies — it seems like only yesterday we were awaiting the news of Prince George's birth. And now, with nearly four years already under his belt, George's new photo proves that he has a smile fit for a king.
