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Kensington Palace has unveiled a new portrait of Prince George to mark his 13th birthday, and the future monarch already looks ready for the crown.
The eldest son of Princess Catherine, 44, and Prince William, 44, looked every inch the future king in the image shared Wednesday, posing in a sharp suit with his hands tucked into his pockets, his top shirt button undone and a relaxed smile for the camera.
Captioned “Happy 13th Birthday, George!,” the photo continues the annual tradition of birthday portraits released by his parents since they introduced him to the world outside the Lindo Wing at St. Mary’s Hospital in London in 2013.
The portrait was taken outside the Trooping the Color ceremony last month by photographer Matt Porteous, according to the BBC.
George attended the annual event in London on June 13, which celebrates the official birthday of the British sovereign, riding in a carriage alongside his younger siblings, Princess Charlotte, 11, and Prince Louis, 8, as well as his mother. For his birthday portrait, the young royal appears to have ditched the formal light blue tie he wore at the ceremony, opting instead for a more informal look.
This year’s image marks a departure from George’s 12th birthday portrait, which showed him in a rural setting wearing a countryside-style gilet and a friendship bracelet, taken by photographer Josh Shinner.
The change in style appears to signal a new era for George as he prepares to step into the more formal world of Eton College, the prestigious boarding school near Windsor that has educated generations of royals, including his father, Prince William.
He will begin his studies there in September, joining one of Britain’s most exclusive schools, where annual boarding fees are around £65,000 ($86,882), according to the school’s website.
The young royal has reportedly already begun staying overnight at his current school, Lambrook School in Windsor, which he attends alongside his younger siblings. A source told the Daily Mail that the decision was reportedly George’s own idea, as he wanted to prepare himself for the transition to Eton.
Prince William also briefly referenced George’s new routine during an appearance on Heart Breakfast, confirming that his eldest son had started boarding at Lambrook, which offers pupils flexible options ranging from one night a week to full-time stays.
Despite being second in line to the throne, George is expected to attend the famous school simply as George Wales, allowing him to blend in among classmates who themselves come from some of Britain’s most influential and privileged families.
Royal commentator Robert Jobson told the Daily Mail that George’s experience at Eton is likely to be very different from his father’s. Prince William began at the school in 1995 as his parents, the late Princess Diana and then-Prince Charles, were navigating the breakdown of their marriage.
“George walks in from a settled home. Two parents, together, who built him a base and guard it fiercely,” Jobson said, contrasting George’s arrival with William’s time at Eton, which came during what he described as a “marital war.”
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