As has become tradition over the years, Prince William and Kate Middleton have just released an adorable new photograph of their eldest son, Prince George, to celebrate him turning eight on 22 July. Yep, somehow the oldest of the three Cambridge children is now already eight years of age!
Naturally, fans of the Royal Family were quick to like and comment on the photo, which was shared on the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's Instagram account last night and was captioned: "Turning eight(!) tomorrow 🎂 📸 by The Duchess"
It appears many had the same thought upon seeing the cheesy-grinned photo too, with numerous social media users all being quick to remark on just much George looks like his father, William.
"He looks so much like his dad!❤️," wrote one (scoring over 2000 likes in agreement). Another royal enthusiast chimed in with, "Oh my goodness look how much he resembles his Dad..and grandmother. Happy Birthday, young Prince!" And a third added, "Looks like William so much ❤️"
Many others also praised The Duchess of Cambridge's photography skills, a hobby that she's developed over the years partly in order to afford her family more privacy. It's now pretty much the norm that any photo shared of a Cambridge child for their birthday will have been taken by their mother (and the results are always super cute and candid – so it's a win-win).
Ahead of the young prince's birthday, much has been made of the significance of his new age - as both his father and grandfather, Prince Charles, started boarding school during the same year of their lives. Many royal commentators are currently speculating as to whether or not the future king will be following in their footsteps and leaving his current school (St Thomas's in Battersea), and heading off to a become a boarder too.
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In previous years, The Duke of Cambridge was sent off to board at Ludgrove School in Berkshire after his eighth birthday, as was his brother (Prince George's uncle), Prince Harry, when he reached the same age. George's grandfather, Prince Charles, attended Cheam School, in Hampshire, echoing the educational career of his own father, Prince Philip, who - you've guessed it - also took up his place at the same boarding school aged eight.
As to whether or not this is a decision the Cambridges will continue on with, the jury is still out – some reports suggest that William and Kate are looking at potential new homes in the Berkshire area, with the idea of sending George to a nearby boarding school.
However, many are saying the young Prince could have a more 'flexible' structure in place, wherein he'd be at home with his family as much as possible, but would also have the option of sleeping on campus should his parents be away for work.
Anyway, a birthday is no time to discuss schooling – so without further ado, here's wishing Prince George a very, very Happy Birthday!
Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
