Prince George flashes toothy grin as he reveals sporty side in new birthday photos taken by mom Kate Middleton
Kensington Palace has released three new photographs before Prince George's birthday. The future king turns six on Monday, July 22. It has become a tradition for the palace to release snapshots taken by his mother Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge.
In the first snap, the young prince can be seen wearing an England football shirt as he lies playfully in the garden of his London home in Kensington Palace. A second photograph shows George wearing the same shirt, smiling gleefully at the camera.
In the third photo, the future king is seen outdoors in front of a leafy backdrop on a family holiday, wearing blue and white striped shorts and a green polo shirt.
George is third in line for the throne behind his grandfather Prince Charles and his father Prince William. He is the great-grandson of Queen Elizabeth II.
On their official Instagram account, they wished the Prince a "Happy Birthday" and shared "The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are very pleased to share new photographs of Prince George to mark His Royal Highness's sixth birthday."
The post continued, "This photograph was taken recently in the garden of their home at Kensington Palace by The Duchess of Cambridge." The royal couple added, "Thank you everyone for all your lovely messages!"
Prince George Alexander Louis, who was born July 22, 2013 at St. Mary's Hospital in London, is the oldest child of Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
He made his first appearance in front of the world's media only hours after Kate gave birth, when she posed for photographs on the steps of the hospital's private Lindo Wing.
George is currently third in line to the British throne, behind his father and grandfather, Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales.
If he, as expected, one day becomes king, following the reigns of Charles and William, he will be the 43rd monarch since William the Conqueror.
CNN reported that George was most recently seen playing alongside his siblings, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, at the Billingbear Polo Club in Berkshire.
It was the first time that the young royals were seen interacting with their newborn cousin, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, the first child of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
George was also seen on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, the official residence of Queen Elizabeth II, for the Trooping the Colour ceremony in June. The military parade is performed by regiments of the British and Commonwealth armies to mark the monarch's official birthday.
The young royal was equally given a leading role at the wedding of Princess Eugenie, daughter of Prince Andrew, to Jack Brooksbank in October 2018. He served as a page boy at their nuptials, which took place in St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle.
Yet the most memorable image of the future king to date was arguably his encounter with President Barack Obama at Kensington Palace in 2016, where he was seen shaking hands with the former American leader while dressed in pajamas and a robe.
George currently attends Thomas's Battersea school in south London, where he has just completed year one. In September he will move into year two, the final year of the Lower School before he moves into the Middle School. He will also be joined at the school by his younger sister, Princess Charlotte, in September.
With AP inputs