Prince George wears a friendship bracelet in eleventh birthday portrait

Prince George looked very smart in a dark suit and shirt for his 11th birthday portrait, but eagle-eyed royal fans will have notived a plafyful addition to his ensemble in the form of a friendship bracelet on his left wrist. 

The Prince and Princess of Wales shared a stunning black and white portrait, taken by Kate, to mark his special day and in the image, the bracelet can clearly be seen above the cuff of his shirt. 

King Charles, 75, has also been spotted wearing what appears to be a ‘friendship bracelet’ during recent engagements, including last week for his visit to Guernsey with Queen Camilla.

Made up of yellow and red thread, the band seems to be similar to versions sported by His Majesty’s granddaughter, Princess Charlotte, nine, when she attended the Wimbledon final last weekend with her mother, the Princess of Wales.

Dressed in a navy polka dot frock, Charlotte wore two of the threaded bracelets, one featuring various shades of pink and another boasting green, blue and pink fabric.

Friendship bracelets have seen a resurgence in popularity over the summer due to the success of Taylor Swift’s Eras tour. 

However, the royal versions are not believed to be the same as those made by fans attending Taylor’s concerts – despite George and Charlotte going to her show at Wembley last month. 

The bracelets swapped by Swifties tend to feature beads with lettering spelling our lyrics and song names, while Charlotte, George and Charles’ accessories are made from plain coloured thread.  

Prince George, who is the eldest child of the Prince and Princess of Wales, was born George Alexander Louis on July 22, 2013, in the the Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, London.

In the photo, which was shared on the Kensington Palace X and Instagram accounts, George’s hair is combed to one side and he’s looking sharp – just like his father – in a suit as he beams for the camera.

Royal fans have become used to seeing the future King dressed smartly in recent years as he prepares to one day sit on the throne. However, this photo shows the royal looking a little more relaxed in an open collar instead of a tie. 

He is also wearing what appears to be a delicate handmade bracelet on his left wrist – which looks strikingly similar to jewellery donned by Princess Charlotte and King Charles in recent appearances. 

Posting the snap on their social media accounts, the Waleses said: ‘Wishing Prince George a very happy 11th birthday today!’

They confirmed the snap had been taken by Kate some time this year. 

The Princess of Wales has long been a keen photographer and is often the person behind the camera when her children’s birthday portraits are taken.

In April this year, as Prince Louis celebrated his sixth birthday, the Palace revealed his portrait had once again been taken by Kate – which came as much-needed good news for royal fans who had been concerned about the Princess’s condition since she revealed to the world she was undergoing cancer treatment.

After the royal mother-of-three revealed in March that she had begun a course of preventative chemotherapy following the discovery of cancerous cells in an abdominal operation in January, many fans were worried for her wellbeing.

Later in the year, Kensington Palace revealed other photos Kate had taken for occasions including Father’s Day, when a photo was shared of the Wales family on the beach in Norfolk. 

However, the snap was an encouraging sign that she was back behind the camera and in good spirits; able to continue doing the things she loves.

Responding to the new birthday portrait, royal fans gushed over the future King and his stately image – noting a strong resemblance to his father in particular.

One person said: ‘He’s the splitting (sic) image of his father, honestly. Happy Birthday George!’

Another added: ‘Prince George looks so much like his Dad.’

A third royal fan said: ‘He is so handsome but I can’t believe he is already 11.’

Many shared such disbelief that the prince is now 11 years old – with some people making the point that he’s ‘almost a teen’.  

As he turns 11 today, George, who is second in line to the throne, is gearing up to begin secondary school in September – although it is not yet clear which institution Kate and William have chosen to send him to.

But while the young prince embarks upon a new chapter in his life, royal fans have indulged in nostalgia to celebrate his milestone, sharing photos on X, formerly Twitter, of the royal in his infant and toddler years.

When he was growing up, George was known for cheeky appearances akin to the comical displays now associated with his younger brother, Prince Louis.

The eldest of the Wales children also won hearts around the world with his cherub-like looks.

Celebrating his birthday on social media, royal fans wished the young prince many happy returns and shared their favourite childhood snaps of him.

As George celebrates his 11th year, it comes after a tough few months for his family in which his mother Kate, 42, has been undergoing cancer treatment.

In January, Kensington Palace announced the Princess of Wales was taking time out from public facing duties to recover after undergoing abdominal surgery at the London Clinic for a condition that was not revealed to the public.

Two months later, following mass speculation and wild conspiracy theories about the state of her health, Kate shared a heartfelt video message in which she revealed doctors had found cancerous cells during her operation.

She also revealed that, as a result, she had been undergoing ‘preventative’ chemotherapy.

The Princess shared how she and William ‘have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family’. 

Meanwhile George’s grandfather King Charles, 75, is also undergoing treatment for cancer.

In a sign that his mother’s treatment is going well, George enjoyed a public outing with her at Trooping the Colour to mark the King’s official birthday in June.

He rode in a carriage with Kate, Charlotte and 6-year-old Louis during the procession and stood on the balcony at Buckingham Palace with his family.

Despite the family struggles, George has continued to shine at all his public appearances.

His demeanor has demonstrated how the young Prince is being well prepared for his future responsibilities as monarch.

He has been to Aston Villa matches, the FA Cup final and England’s clash with Spain in the Euro 2024 final earlier this month.

As George approaches secondary school age, there has also been speculation over where he will spend his next stage of education.

Prince William attended the prestigious Eton College while Kate went to Marlborough School in Buckinghamshire.

William and Kate visited both as they looked into options for George.

But it emerged earlier this year that the couple had added Oundle School in Peterborough to their list of options for their eldest son.

The £34,000-a-year co-educational school in north Northamptonshire dates from 1556 but has a modern ethos, boasting on its website: ‘We have a responsibility to ensure that every single member of the school community takes both individual and collective action towards environmental sustainability.’

As royal fans are left speculating as to where the young prince will continue his education as he reaches secondary level, one joked: ‘Now he can Go to Hogwarts.’