Royals release new photo as Prince George turns 12

A new photo has been released to mark Prince George’s 12th birthday, with the future king looking more and more like his father.

The Prince and Princess of Wales continued their recent tradition of posting birthday photos of their children to social media.

“Happy 12th Birthday to Prince George! 🎂”, they wrote on X, with a smiling photo of their eldest son.

The portrait of the future king shows him wearing a white and blue striped button-down shirt and dark green fleece vest.

Around his wrist appears to be a cotton friendship bracelet.

The grinning prince leans against a rustic gate against a woodland backdrop in the lush countryside.

The natural portrait was credited to photographer Josh Shinner.

William and Kate also posted a short video of George with his siblings, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, in the same rural setting.

The trio play together outdoors, with George and Charlotte lifting Louis and then the three of them holding hands as they stride towards the camera.

As George, who is second in line to the throne, passes a milestone, there has been speculation over where he will attend secondary school next year.

Will he follow in his father’s footsteps and go to the prestigious Eton College? Or will he choose his mother Kate’s alma mater, Marlborough College, in Windsor?

George and his siblings currently attend Lambrook Preparatory School in Berkshire, which accepts pupils until age 13.

Prince George’s last public outing was at the Wimbledon men’s final on July 13, when he watched Jannik Sinner defeat Carlos Alcaraz.

In June, George and his siblings were at Trooping the Colour for the King’s birthday, riding in the carriage with the Princess of Wales and viewing the flypast from the balcony at Buckingham Palace.