Prince George reveals his 'inner king'
A birthday portrait of our future monarch
Hi Royal Clubbers,
It's Ainhoa here with my weekly newsletter, and today I wanted to wish Prince George a very happy 11th birthday!
In celebration of his big day, the Princess of Wales released a black-and-white photo of her firstborn posing on a stone bench and smiling at the camera.
Before you read my birthday tribute to the young prince, I’ve used the poll below to list five traits I think he exudes in this portrait. Please tell me which you think is the most accurate! And if any others spring to mind, do please let me know in the comments at the bottom of the post – though you need to be a paid member to do so.
A George-induced frenzy
I joined HELLO! a few weeks before 'the royal baby' (he was the only royal baby that anyone talked about back then) was born, and the start of the 'Great Kate Wait'. There was so much excitement (read: hysteria) surrounding his birth and I vividly remember the frenzy in the office when William and Catherine first emerged on the steps of the Lindo Wing, presenting their little boy to the world.
I'm also still astounded that the Princess made such a picture-perfect public appearance, in front of hundreds of reporters, photographers, and members of the public, given that she'd just birthed a human being hours before.
Through following George's upbringing in the spotlight, from his first royal tour in Australia and New Zealand aged eight months old, to his even more prominent and poignant appearances at Trooping the Colour celebrations, Christmases at Sandringham, and the King's coronation, George has always seemed like a shy little boy. Definitely when compared to his confident little sister Princess Charlotte and his boisterous younger brother Prince Louis.
Having said that, his latest birthday portrait shows him full of confidence and he does always come alive at sporting events. I loved the recent photos of George and William at the Euros 2024 final, cheering when England scored and clutching his hands to his face when they missed.