Prince William and Kate Middleton release a new photo of Prince George on his 10th birthday

A decade ago, the media and fans of the royal family gathered outside the Lindo Wing at St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington awaiting a glimpse of the new royal baby. Now that kid is 10, a new photo of Prince George has been released to celebrate his historic birthday on Saturday, July 22nd.

“The Prince and Princess of Wales are delighted to publish a new photograph of Prince George ahead of his tenth birthday tomorrow,” Kensington Palace said in a statement this evening. Millie Pilkington snapped the photo in Windsor earlier this month. He’s been William and Kate’s favorite portrait photographer since the beginning of their royal life, taking photos for their personal album on their wedding day in 2011. Most recently, she photographed the family for portraits released for Prince Louis’ birthday, Princess Charlotte’s birthday and Father’s Day.

George has made several public appearances over the past few weeks, most recently being seen at Wimbledon with his parents and sister Princess Charlotte as well as at a family day out at the Royal International Air Tattoo. Last year, he took on an important role as a page of honor for his grandfather, King Charles, at his coronation as well as walking in the funeral procession of Queen Elizabeth.

The young prince’s increasing public appearances are preparing him for the role that was once destined for him, but William and Kate are still fiercely protective of their children’s privacy in their day-to-day lives. The desire to grow up out of the limelight was one of the reasons the family decided to move from London to Adelaide Cottage in Windsor last year, where George, Charlotte and Louis all started at Lambrook School in Berkshire. This is where George will stay until he turns 13, at which point he can transfer to Eton College, the school his father attended and where he was seen a few weeks ago.

While the royal children live their lives out of the limelight, William and Kate let a peek into their personalities and interests. On a recent visit, Kate reported that the family enjoys playing sports in their backyard and that Princess Charlotte is just as competitive as her mom.

The artwork produced by Princess Diana’s three children will be released on Mother’s Day in 2021. An adorable watercolor of a reindeer painted by Prince George just before Christmas 2022 has also been announced.