Prince William and his wife Kate released a new photograph of their son, Prince George, with a beaming smile to mark his eighth birthday on Thursday.
The photograph, taken by his mother, shows the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's first child perched on a Land Rover synonymous with his great-grandfather the Duke of Edinburgh.
George, who celebrates his birthday on Thursday, is pictured beaming at Kate and is casually dressed in a striped polo shirt and shorts.
The duchess is a keen photographer and regularly produces images of George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis to mark milestones in her children’s lives.
The future king is perched on the bonnet of a Land Rover Defender in the image taken by his mother Kate.
Philip, who died in April a few months short of his 100th birthday, regularly drove Land Rovers and during his funeral the duke’s coffin was carried by a specially adapted defender which he helped design.
Including the famous vehicle in the image will be seen as a poignant tribute to the late duke, who had a passion for engineering.
The image was taken outdoors this month in Norfolk, where the Cambridges have their family home, Anmer Hall, which is close to the Queen’s Sandringham residence.
The Queen, Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall’s official Twitter accounts featured the picture of George, showing him with an off-road vehicle synonymous with his great-grandfather the Duke of Edinburgh.
“Wishing Prince George a very happy 8th birthday today!” the Queen’s account tweeted, while Charles and Camilla’s said: “A very Happy Birthday to Prince George!”.
William and Kate’s twitter account has acknowledged the public’s warm wishes marking their son’s milestone: “Thank you for all your lovely messages on Prince George’s eighth birthday!”
Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge was born in the private Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, at 4.24pm on July 22, 2013, weighing 3.8 kilograms.
He made his public debut in front of the world’s media on the hospital steps a day later, wrapped in a white merino wool shawl, cradled in his proud parents’ arms.
A great-grandchild to the Queen, he will be the 43rd English monarch since William the Conqueror if, as expected, he follows the reigns of his grandfather, the Prince of Wales, and his father, William.
