A new photograph of Prince George has been released by Kensington Palace to mark the young royal’s 12th birthday on Monday.
The image shows the smiling prince wearing a countryside-style gilet and leaning against a wooden gate in Norfolk, where it was taken earlier this year by photographer Josh Shinner. The Prince and Princess of Wales shared the portrait on social media with the message “Happy 12th Birthday to Prince George!” accompanied by a birthday cake emoji.
George, the eldest son of Prince William and Catherine and second in line to the throne, reaches the milestone as speculation mounts over his secondary school choice, with one year remaining at his preparatory school before the crucial educational transition.
School Decision Looms
The young prince currently attends Lambrook School in Berkshire alongside his siblings Princess Charlotte, nine, and Prince Louis, six, where he has four terms remaining before moving to secondary education in September 2026. The decision about his next school has become a topic of significant interest within royal circles.
Eton College, where both Prince William and Prince Harry were educated, remains the frontrunner for George’s secondary education. The prestigious £63,000-per-year boarding school is conveniently located near the family’s Adelaide Cottage home on the Windsor estate, allowing the prince to remain close to his family.
However, the Princess of Wales is understood to favour her own alma mater, Marlborough College in Wiltshire, which charges approximately £51,000 annually. The co-educational boarding school would allow all three Wales children to attend together, something sources suggest appeals to William and Catherine’s desire to keep their children united.
Royal Visits Signal Interest
The Wales family have been spotted visiting several potential schools in recent months. George accompanied his parents to Eton in June 2024 and again in early 2025, with sources close to the Berkshire college telling media that the prince was shown where he would stay if he followed in his father’s footsteps.
Catherine was seen visiting Marlborough alone in October 2023 before returning with William and George in December. The Princess also reportedly visited two north London schools – University College School in Hampstead and Highgate School – in early 2025, though the distance from Windsor makes these unlikely choices.
Royal expert Ingrid Seward, editor of Majesty Magazine, said: “The world is their oyster when it comes to choosing a school. No school in the country would dare refuse the royals.” She added that Catherine “probably doesn’t want him to go to boarding school at all, and it’s possible that he won’t.”
Growing Public Profile
Despite his parents’ efforts to provide as normal a childhood as possible, George has increasingly stepped into the public eye. During the VE Day 80th anniversary celebrations in May, he made a surprise appearance at a Buckingham Palace tea party for veterans, marking what royal commentators called a “significant moment” in his development as future king.
HELLO!’s Royal Editor Emily Nash observed: “It was a lovely surprise to see Prince George joining the King and Queen and his parents for the veterans tea party at the Palace. It’s a big moment that shows he’s being gradually introduced to his future role.”
At the event, the 11-year-old prince, dressed smartly in a navy suit and blue tie, was seen chatting with veterans including 99-year-old Douglas Austen Hyde, who joined the Merchant Navy in 1944 aged just 18. George heard first-hand accounts from those who served during the Second World War.
Public Appearances
The young prince has been visible at several high-profile events this year. He attended the Wimbledon men’s final in July with his parents and sister Charlotte, where he used a fan to keep cool in the Royal Box during the blazing afternoon sun.
In June, George was spotted nudging his younger brother Louis on the Buckingham Palace balcony during Trooping the Colour, encouraging him to wave more calmly at the crowds – a moment that demonstrated his growing awareness of public expectations.
The prince has also experienced the emotional rollercoaster of football fandom, attending Aston Villa matches with his father Prince William, who is president of the Football Association and a lifelong Villa supporter.
Birth and Early Years
Prince George Alexander Louis was born at 4:24pm on 22 July 2013 at the private Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, London, weighing 8lb 6oz. He made his debut before the world’s media the following day, wrapped in a white merino wool shawl and cradled in his mother’s arms on the hospital steps.
The prince carried out his first official engagement in the UK at age two, joining his parents at the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. He also travelled on William and Catherine’s tours to Australia and New Zealand in 2014 when he was eight months old, as well as to Canada in 2016 and Germany and Poland in 2017.
Family Tradition
The birthday photograph continues a Wales family tradition of releasing images to mark their children’s special days. Earlier this year, the royals shared photos for Princess Charlotte’s 10th birthday and Prince Louis’s seventh birthday, both also taken by photographer Josh Shinner.
The family often spends summers in Norfolk, where they have access to Anmer Hall on the Sandringham estate. The rural setting of George’s birthday portrait reflects the family’s love of the countryside and their efforts to give their children space away from the public eye.
Prince William recently offered a rare insight into birthday celebrations when asked about gifts for George, giving what was described as a “surprisingly honest response” that offered a glimpse into royal family life behind palace walls.
As George enters his 13th year, the balance between preparing him for his future role while maintaining childhood normality remains a key priority for his parents. The school decision ahead will mark another significant step in the young prince’s journey towards his eventual destiny as king.
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