– Prince George is celebrating his sixth birthday on July 22, 2019, and the royal family has released three new birthday portraits to commemorate the special occasion.
- – The Duchess of Cambridge took all three of Prince George’s new photos, just as she took Princess Charlotte’s and Prince Louis’s birthday portraits in 2019.
– George’s new portraits are more casual than some previous years, and see the little royal playing happily at home.
Related article: Prince George Was A Riot At The Royal Polo Match And We Nearly Missed It
Prince George is turning six, and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s son is growing up fast.
In three new portraits released by the royal family to celebrate George’s sixth birthday, the prince can be seen wearing an England soccer jersey and having fun while playing in the garden. As the photos were taken by his mother, Duchess Kate, George looks totally at ease.
This isn’t the first time that Kate Middleton has captured her family on camera. An avid photographer, the duchess is also responsible for Princess Charlotte’s fourth birthday portraits, and Prince Louis’s first birthday photos, among others.
Here, we take a look at Prince George’s birthday portraits through the years, and see how they compare:
First Birthday
Prince George’s unforgettable first birthday portraits were taken at the Sensational Butterflies exhibition at the Natural History Museum on July 2, 2014.
Photo: Getty
George was photographed taking some steps on his own in one photo, and was shown admiring the exhibit with his parents in the other snaps:
Photo: Getty
As George’s first birthday portraits were taken during an outing, they have a totally different vibe from his recently released sixth birthday portraits. Instead, they give us a glimpse at the happy family life the Cambridges have together.
Related article: Every Photo From The Royal Family’s Polo Outing
Second Birthday
When Prince George turned two, the royals released a seriously sweet and super informal birthday portrait. Being held by his dad, Prince William, George was captured lurching towards the camera, as if he was trying to snatch it from the photographer’s hands. It’s more than a little adorable:
https://twitter.com/britishroyals/status/623481335349260288
By releasing a much less formal photo for George’s second birthday, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge shared their son’s immense sense of fun with the world, which has been evident ever since.
Third Birthday
Understandably, as a growing toddler, Prince George’s third birthday portraits gave fans a real insight into the little royal’s personality.
Firstly, George was caught on camera feeding ice cream to a dog, which is exactly how most of us would want to spend our birthdays, too:
Photo: Getty
The prince was also captured playing on a swing in his garden which is sweetly engraved with his parent’s names. Above all, George’s third birthday photos showed what a confident young prince he was fast becoming:
Of the day, photographer Porteous said in a statement via Today, “It was a very relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere.”
Fourth Birthday
While his third birthday portraits showed Prince George at play, his fourth birthday photo was much more formal.
Taken by royal photographer Chris Jackson, the prince was captured looking smart in a shirt, as he stood in front of a wall. But just as in his previous portraits, the prince’s huge grin was immediately evident. Each year, Prince George’s sunny disposition shines through.
Photo: Getty
Fifth Birthday
In a sweet snap taken on the day of brother Prince Louis’s christening in 2018, Prince George beamed in his fourth birthday portrait, which was taken by royal photographer Matt Porteous:
Wearing a smart white shirt with blue piping, Prince George looked so grown up as he posed with his hands behind his back. Much like his fourth birthday portrait, George posed for a formal snap to celebrate his fifth birthday, which definitely made the young prince look dignified.
Related article: Every Photo Of Archie Mountbatten-Windsor’s Royal Christening
Sixth Birthday
Prince George is all grown up in his sixth birthday portraits, all of which were taken by his mother, the Duchess of Cambridge. In one, George can be seen wearing a smart green polo shirt:
In the two other portraits, George wears an England soccer jersey, and looks like he’s having so much fun. It’s also evident in the snaps that he’s already lost some of his baby teeth:
The fact that all three of George’s sixth birthday portraits were taken by Duchess Kate makes them all the more special. In most of his previous portraits, George posed for an official photographer, meaning that the snaps were slightly more formal. Instead, Kate has managed to capture George at his most relaxed, flashing his cheeky smile, and looking so happy he could burst.
As George celebrates his sixth birthday, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the prince’s portraits through the years. Above all, the little royal seems to be developing his own personality, a love of football, and a sense of style, all of which are heartwarming to see.
This article originally appeared on Harper’s Bazaar US.