Prince George's 13th birthday portrait reveals a surprising change

Prince George marked a major milestone this week as he celebrated his 13th birthday, officially stepping into his teenage years.

The future King looked grown-up in the photograph released by Kate on her Instagram.

He was dressed in a smart suit and smiling for the camera. 

The image was captured by the Wales family's long-time photographer, Matt Porteous, at Kensington Palace following last month's Trooping the Colour celebrations for King Charles's official birthday.

Alongside the portrait, Kensington Palace shared a simple message: "Happy 13th birthday, George!" accompanied by a party popper emoji.

Later in the day, a heartwarming video showed George enjoying a rock-climbing adventure with his younger brother, Prince Louis, eight.

The accompanying caption read: "Thank you for all the birthday wishes for George today!"

In both social media posts, the Prince of Wales and Princess of Wales referred to their eldest son simply as "George", leaving out his royal title.

Some royal watchers suggesting it reflected William and Kate's approach to balancing royal tradition with giving their children as normal an upbringing as possible.

One fan observed: "Interesting that both posts today used 'George' alone; they almost always use 'Prince'."