Prince George turns 13

Prince George turns 13

Prince George has officially become a teenager, and to mark the occasion, his parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales, have released a new photo of him. The picture, taken by Matt Porteous, shows George smiling and relaxed, wearing a dark suit with an open-necked white shirt, with his hands in his pockets.

The photo was taken at Kensington Palace after George returned from Trooping the Colour in June, and was shared on the Prince and Princess of Wales' social media accounts, accompanied by the message "Happy 13th Birthday, George!" and a party popper emoji.

George, who was born on July 22, 2013, at St Mary's Hospital in London, has grown up in the public eye, making his first public appearance at just a few hours old, when he was cradled in his mother's arms on the steps of the private Lindo Wing. He weighed 8lbs 6oz at birth and was later christened George Alexander Louis at the Chapel Royal at St James' Palace.

As he enters his teenage years, George is preparing to start at Eton College in September, following in his father's footsteps. The prestigious school, which has a reputation for instilling self-reliance and leadership, has a long list of famous past students, including actors Tom Hiddleston, Hugh Laurie, and Eddie Redmayne, as well as writers George Orwell and Ian Fleming.

According to former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond, becoming a teenager is a significant milestone for George, especially as he prepares to start at a new school and take on more responsibilities. "It's obviously a huge year ahead for George," she said. "Becoming a teenager is still quite a landmark in any young life. But when it means you are also moving schools and essentially leaving home – at least on a part-time basis – it's pretty momentous."

However, Jennie Bond does not expect George to take on significantly more royal duties in the near future, citing his new school and education as his priority. "I don't think we're going to see George taking part in an increased number of official royal duties in the near future," she explained. "Quite frankly, he has enough on his plate with his new school and his education."

Despite this, George has been making more public appearances alongside his parents in recent months, including attending Trooping the Colour and visiting the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight at RAF Coningsby with his mother. He has also been involved in charitable work, including visiting a homeless shelter with his father last Christmas.

As George celebrates his 13th birthday, he is currently on summer holiday with his siblings, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. The family was last seen together at Wimbledon, where George and his sister watched the men's singles final from the Royal Box and were invited to play tennis by British wildcard Arthur Fery.

With his future destiny already mapped out, George's parents, William and Kate, have been working to balance his royal responsibilities with a normal childhood. They have been careful to protect his time at school and have released carefully chosen family photos to mark milestones like birthdays.