Prince George's fourth birthday marked with formal portrait photo
Previously Prince George's birthday has been celebrated with the release of a picture by the Duchess of Cambridge herself.
Friday 21 July 2017 22:50, UK
A new photograph of Prince George has been released to mark his fourth birthday.
The picture shows him to be a very happy little boy grinning at the camera, wearing a striped collarless shirt.
It is the first formal portrait taken of William and Kate's son, who on previous birthdays have often released photographs Kate has taken herself.
This one was taken at Kensington Palace at the end of June by Chris Jackson, Getty Images Royal Photographer.
In a statement the palace said "The Duke and Duchess are very pleased to share this lovely picture as they celebrate Prince George's fourth birthday, and would like to thank everyone for all of the kind messages they have received."
It comes at the end of a week-long European tour for William, Kate and their two children.
They have visited Poland and Germany over five days on behalf of the foreign office to cement friendships with key EU countries.
George had appeared shy and reticent during the European tour, pulling at his father's arm as they faced diplomatic line ups off the plane in Warsaw and Berlin.
But he couldn't have been happier when they arrived at Airbus in Hamburg on Friday ahead of flying home.
He could not contain his joy when he was taken inside two helicopters on the tarmac, including one like the helicopter Prince William flies for the East Anglian Air Ambulance.
At one point Prince George could be seen looking around wide-eyed and clasping his hands to his face in amazement, before then trying on a pilots helmet with the help of his dad.
Princess Charlotte however seemed less impressed and threw a tantrum, sitting down next to the helicopter before being coaxed by her mother to get up and walk towards their private plane.
In September, Prince George will start at the private school Thomas's Battersea, where fees cost £17,604 a year.
The family will also be based at Kensington Palace in London, rather than at their Norfolk mansion Anmer Hall, with William leaving his air ambulance helicopter pilot job this summer to become a full-time royal.