Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Happy 12th birthday,Prince George! On July 22,Kate MiddletonandPrince William, both 43, shared a new portrait to celebrate their eldest son's birthday, continuing theirroyal traditionthat started when George was a baby. The custom later extended to his two younger siblings, 10-year-oldPrincess Charlotteand 7-year-oldPrince Louis, who also mark their birthdays each year with a new photo revealed to the public. In the photo, taken by photographer Josh Shinner earlier this year in Norfolk, George can be seen resting his arms on a fence as he smiles at the camera. He wears a white and blue checked shirt with a brown fleece gilet over the top. "Happy 12th Birthday to Prince George! 🎂 📸@joshshinner," the photo was captioned. This birthday marks a meaningful moment for George: it's his final year before stepping into his teenage years. As he grows older, his role in the royal family as future king will gradually become more visible — but for now, his parents continue to prioritize privacy and balance. As in previous years, Prince George — second in line to the throne after his father, Prince William — is celebrating his birthday privately with his family. His most recent public outing was just over a week ago, when hejoined his parents and sister at Wimbledon. George looked sharp in a suit and tie (complete with stylish sunglasses!) while taking in the men's singles final match from the front row of the Royal Box at Centre Court. Karwai Tang/WireImage The young royal has taken after his parents when it comes to his love of sports. He is regularly spotted in thestands of soccer gamesalongside Prince William, often supporting Aston Villa, and when doubles champion Julian Cash asked George about his own tennis skills when they met at Wimbledon, theprince humbly replied, "I'm alright." Prince George also made two appearances on the Buckingham Palace balcony this year: at Trooping the Colour in June and at an event commemorating the 80th anniversary of VE (Victory in Europe) Day in May. In a surprise move, Prince George alsojoined his parents in hosting a Buckingham Palace tea party for veteransduring the May event. His first time appearing at such a formal royal function showed how Prince William and Princess Kate are slowly introducing their son to his future royal role. Chris Jackson/Getty Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage?Sign up for our free Royals newsletterto get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! At 12, Prince George will have his last year of classes at Lambrook School in Windsor, where Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis also go to school. However, there will be changes in store after he turns 13 next year. The young prince will reportedly follow in his father's footsteps and attend the all-boys school Eton College. Though the Prince and Princess of Wales explored avariety of options— including Kate's coed alma mater, Marlborough College — a source recently told theMail on Sundaythat "all roads lead to Eton." According to the outlet, insiders say there's a "smugness" about the pending announcement from the prestigious boys-only school: "It was like: 'I know something, and the people at Eton know something, but I'm not going to tell you.' " Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty When Prince William turned 12, a royal protocol was put in place that prevented him from traveling with the rest of his family, a precaution to protect the future of the monarchy in case of a tragic accident. King Charles' former pilot, Graham Laurie, recalled the royal change on a 2023 episode ofA Right Royal Podcast, saying, "Interestingly, we flew all four: the Prince [Charles], thePrincess [Diana], Prince William andPrince Harry, up until Prince William was 12 years old. After that, he had to have a separate aircraft, and we could only fly all four together when they were young with the written permission of Her Majesty," referring to then-monarchQueen Elizabeth. It remains to be seen whether Prince William and Princess Kate will follow the same approach with Prince George now that he's 12. The couple has been intentional about giving their children as normal an upbringing as possible, even as they prepare for future royal roles — a noticeable shift from past generations. For instance, when King Charles was a child, he was often left in the care of nannies and his grandmother while Queen Elizabeth embarked on extended royal tours. "You can't see this couple doing that," asource previously told PEOPLEof William and Kate. Read the original article onPeople
