Prince George Is All Smiles in Adorable 4th Birthday Portrait

Kate Middleton and Prince William's eldest child and future heir to the British throne turns 4 Saturday

By Corinne Heller Jul 21, 2017 9:00 PMTags

Happy birthday, Prince George!

Kate Middleton and Prince William's eldest child and future heir to the British throne turns 4 Saturday and, following tradition, Kensington Palace has released a new portrait of the little boy in celebration.

The picture is a close-up of George smiling wide while wearing a white and blue vertically striped button-down shirt. It is one of his most joyful-looking public photos—and capturing kids' smiles on camera is not easy. Chris Jackson, Getty Images' Royal Photographer, took the picture at Kensington Palace at the end of June.

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Prince George Is Prince William's Mini-Me

"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." Jackson said in a statement. "I'm thrilled and honored that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have chosen to release this portrait to celebrate Prince George's fourth birthday. He is such a happy little boy and certainly injects some fun into a photo shoot!"

George and his parents, as well as his little sister Princess Charlotte, 2, spent the days leading up to his birthday on a royal tour of Poland and Germany.

A palace spokesperson told E! News that the family will be spending his birthday together at their home in Norfolk.

George will this fall begin pre-kindergarten and will be one of the youngest students in his grade. He is set to attend the private Thomas's Battersea Day School, which costs more than $22,800 annually.

—Reporting by Holly Passalaqua