A look at Prince George's previous birthdays as he celebrates turning six
To celebrate the birthday of a future British kind, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have released photographs of their son Prince George, as he turns six years old.
In stark contrast to the life thus far of his cousin Archie, George has never been far from the limelight since emerging as a newborn from the Lindo Wing Maternity at St Mary’s Hospital in July 2013.
Here we take a look at the changing face of cheerful George as the cheeky-looking youngster moves through the years:
George is born:
The public got a first look at Prince George the day after mother Kate gave birth to him at the royal-used NHS maternity ward; the Lindo Wing.
HRH Prince George Louis Alexander of Cambridge was born at 4.24pm and weighed 8lbs 6oz.
The happy new parents emerged from those famous doors and showed the new prince to the world, allowing photographers to snap pictures before the pair headed home.
It was exactly one month later when the first official photos were released.
The Duke of Cambridge stands to the left of his wife in one of the intimate photograph, which were taken by Kate's father Michael Middleton in a shady spot of the garden of the family home in Bucklebury, Berkshire, earlier this month.
George turns one:
One year later this adorable photograph was released to the world of Prince George appearing to walk unaided as his parents marked his first birthday.
The photograph shows George during a visit to the Sensational Butterflies exhibition at the Natural History Museum, London.
In another photo released by the family Curious George could be seen inspecting a butterfly perched on his father's hand.
Following the birth of George, parents William and Kate received an outpouring of support and they used his birthday as a chance to say thanks.
They said: "We would like to take this opportunity on George's first birthday to thank everyone over the last year, wherever we have met them, both at home and overseas, for their warm and generous good wishes to George and our family."
George turns two:
By the time George turned two the resemblance between him and his dad was strikingly obvious.
In one birthday photograph he smiles as he leans towards the camera and William cannot help but laugh, as he holds his son in his arms.
The picture was taken by celebrated fashion photographer Mario Testino immediately after Princess Charlotte was baptised at the Church of St Mary Magdalene in Sandringham on July 5 2015.
In another photo George can be seen with his younger sister Princess Charlotte as the family pose at Sandringham House after Princess Charlotte's christening.
The Cambridges will celebrated George's birthday privately at Anmer Hall, their Norfolk home.
George turns three:
For George's third birthday we were treated to a set of candid photos which showed the growing royal playing on a picnic mat with the family dog Lupo.
It was clear from this set of official photographs that George was becoming a caring young man as he could be seen offering his pet a bite of ice cream.
In the set of photos George was wearing a striped blue T-shirt and dark blue shorts in the grounds of the Norfolk home Anmer Hall.
A Kensington Palace spokesman said: "The Duke and Duchess hope that people will enjoy seeing these new photographs.
"They would like to thank everyone for all the lovely messages they have received as Prince George celebrates his third birthday."
George turns four:
A new official photograph of a beaming Prince George was released to mark his fourth birthday.
The portrait of the little prince was captured at Kensington Palace at the end of June 2017.
Kensington Palace said in a statement: "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."
The picture was taken by Getty Images Royal Photographer Chris Jackson, who described George as a "happy little boy" who "certainly injects some fun into a photoshoot".
George turns five:
For his fifth birthday a photo of George was posted to Twitter by the Kensington Palace account, along with a caption thanking "everyone for your lovely messages".
The post read: "The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are very pleased to share a new photograph of Prince George to mark his fifth birthday – thank you everyone for your lovely messages."
The photo showed a happy and confident little boy who had just completed his first year at school, attending Thomas’s Battersea in south London.
George turns six:
Prince George is photographed beaming in an England football shirt in new pictures released to celebrate his sixth birthday.
Kensington Palace has shared three photographs to mark the occasion on Monday, all taken recently by his mother, Kate, Duchess of Cambridge.
In one snap, the future king laughs as he lies playfully in the garden of their home at Kensington Palace – clad in the white England football home shirt.
The new school year will bring a few changes for George, with Thomas’s asking Year 2 children to become more responsible, including recording their own homework in their diaries, so the “increasing independence allows for a smooth transition to the Prep School”.