It’s going to be another chaotic week in gossip and world news, but today is also Prince George’s eleventh birthday. He’s now the same age as Drake’s alleged secret daughter! LMAO. To celebrate Prince George’s birthday, the Princess of Wales took a new portrait of her son. Black-and-white, with the child in a suit. It’s a nice photo honestly and it actually looks like it was taken recently, unlike many of the photos released by Kensington Palace this year.
Ever since the Mother’s Day photo fiasco back in March, Kensington Palace no longer releases their photos to photo agencies and media outlets. Their new thing is posting exclusive photos on social media, so now Getty, Reuters, etc, all add disclaimers, saying that they got the photos from KP and they can’t independently verify the photos. I don’t see any glaring problems with this one, except I do wonder if Kate was the one who actually took it. But whatever. They play fast and loose with the photo credits constantly.
George was most recently seen at Trooping the Colour at some football matches with his father. George got to attend the EURO final with his dad and they watched England lose the second EURO final in a row. They say that George is obsessed with football too. It’s also notable that as of yet, he’s not in a boarding school. That might change soon enough – it seems pretty likely that he’ll eventually go to Eton.
Photos courtesy of the Princess of Wales/Kensington Palace, Backgrid, Avalon Red and Cover Images.
- Prinz William mit Sohn Prinz George,spricht mit Koenig Felipe VI von Spanien, FINALE Spanien ESP – England ENG 2-1 am 14.07.2024, Olympiastadion Berlin. Fussball UEFA EURO, EM, Europameisterschaft,Fussball 2024 GERMANY vom 14.06.2024 – 14.07.2024. *** Prince William with son Prince George, speaks with King Felipe VI of Spain, FINAL Spain ESP England ENG 2 1 on 14 07 2024, Olympiastadion Berlin Football UEFA EURO 2024 GERMANY from 14 06 2024 14 07 2024,Image: 889795314, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/Frank Hoermann/SVEN SIMON / Avalon
- William, Prinz von Wales, Prince of Wales with son Prince George celebrate 1-1, next to Felipe VI. König von Spanien with daughter Princess Sofia, in the final match SPAIN – ENGLAND 2-1 of the UEFA European Championships 2024 on Jul 14, 2024 in Berlin, Germany.,Image: 889806983, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO / Avalon
- London, UNITED KINGDOM – Duchess Kate Middleton’s return to the public eye was eagerly anticipated as she joined the British Royal Family at Trooping the Colour, observing the ceremonial parade from their window at Horse Guards Parade in St. James’s Park on the King’s official birthday. Pictured: Princess of Wales, Catherine, Kate Middleton, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Sophie, Duchess of BACKGRID USA 15 JUNE 2024 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
- London, UNITED KINGDOM – Duchess Kate Middleton’s return to the public eye was eagerly anticipated as she joined the British Royal Family at Trooping the Colour, observing the ceremonial parade from their window at Horse Guards Parade in St. James’s Park on the King’s official birthday. Pictured: Princess of Wales, Catherine, Kate Middleton, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, Sophi BACKGRID USA 15 JUNE 2024 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
- Trooping the Colour 2024 ceremony, marking the monarch’s official birthday. Featuring: Prince George, Prince William, Prince Louis, Catherine Princess of Wales, Princess Charlotte Where: London, United Kingdom When: 15 Jun 2024 Credit: John Rainford/Cover Images
Tommy from Pipi Longstocking…
It’s bland. It needs color or a background. This is another thing C&C do better than W&K. When C&C release photos they aren’t so dull.
she didn’t take this photo. an amateur wouldn’t know how to light him that way. the post processing is also done by a pro.
they were going for a Demarchelier style here. (falls a bit short of the mark). I love how they attribute all this to Kate, who is I’m sure as good at photography as she is at public speaking. sorry for the snark.
@maisie she’s as good as her public speaking, or just work in general
I totally agree!
He has to wear lookalike suit dad wears. A pity the other children did not get new pictures for their birthdays
OMG this poor child. He’s not going for a business school interview 🙄
It’s a terrible photo. He looks like he’s sitting on the floor of the back corridor of one of those football stadiums he’s been to recently. And what’s with the black and white filter? I thought that was something tacky the Sussexes did. Poor pathetic Wailses, always a follower, never a leader.
I agree, it would be an improvement for KP to work with portrait photographers who could improve the quality of these photos and bring some normalcy to their children’s lives. It does look like the back corridor of some loveless place and reminds me of the film D.A.R.Y.L, a story about a child who was actually an android in a government experiment and all of his childhood photos that documented his growth were taken with him standing in front of a blank wall, jarring to see one after the other.
And what’s it to you? Jesus, get a grip they’re just pics posted on Instagram. You should like really get a life.
You’re criticizing an eleven years old birthday pic😵💫 get a life
Yes, I am criticizing this photo. The lack of a background and b&w look is dispiriting. I also feel KP needs to be taken in hand and made to account for their falsified photos to date and go back to basics, using professional photographers who can bring their expertise to improve KP’s documentation and resume supplying formal palace handouts to the news agencies that adhere to the standards of those companies for the sake of veracity and the Windsors’ historical record. That criticism doesn’t fall on the child, only lament that he and his siblings are trapped in WanKs dysfunctional attitudes and behaviour.
An extraordinary amount of effort goes into criticizing snap shots of children. The reasons get more elaborate with each photo.
Criticizing the photograph is not criticizing the child. it is criticizing the photographer. and it is perfectly fine to criticize the photographer’s skill and choices. that’s a normal part of art.
“An extraordinary amount of effort goes into criticizing snap shots of children. The reasons get more elaborate with each photo.”
In these instances that lays squarely at the feet of KP. These are photos are released for public consumption, meant to be historical documents but with the vetting of news services removed after KP was likened to Iran and North Korea in their veracity with pictures. Their recent beach photo would have had a disclaimer “do not attempt” if it had been an advert because pretending a trampoline shot was physically jumping over dunes is an unsafe suggestion to posit as real. Charlotte’s bday picture was actually her leaning on William’s shoulder but they filled his silhouette with flowers, Louis’ had been shot over a sill or wall for the foreground but given fake legs to seem like he was lying on the ground as the back. Both were said to be recently taken when they clearly weren’t. This photo of George is critiqued from an aesthetic standpoint rather than being a Frankenphoto like the others.
The reason the photos are scrutinized isn’t elaborate -it’s extremely basic, KP lie about when and where they are taken and no oversight to prove their claims is provided. They specifically will not provide handouts because they would have to provide the raw photo which would seen them rejected as too manipulated. Why does KP go to these lengths to fake their pictures at all?
It’s actually kind of weird that they release these photos every year for public consumption. They never did that with William and Harry and it’s not like people didn’t know what they looked like, especially without social media.
You normally release school and birthday photos to friends and family, not the general public. Kate does this because she wants the public to have weird parasocial relationships with her kids, but it also opens them up to less privacy and more public scrutiny. And she wants to the praise for taking the photo.
The kids are seen in public and don’t need this.
Also no one has criticized the looks of the subject but the quality of the photo.
So I actually agree @nic919, that it’s weird they release these pics every year. Is it bc it’s part of the tabloid invisible contract/agreement? They won’t be harassed by the paps if they give these photos for every bday. But like you said, we see pics of the kids at engagements at this point. It’s like a weird yearly photo that they put out for each kid. Like I feel bad for the kids. It’s like having your awkward school photo splashed out on the papers. People already saw a pic of George at the euros and at the TS concert. This just isn’t necessary.
Why can’t derangers can’t keep the Sussex family out of their mouths?
Happy birthday to him and yeah, KP/Wails are still smarting from being outed as the fakers they are. Wonder how long this will last as at some point they will need the media agencies on their side. Also makes me wonder if she played around with the park photo she dropped before Trooping – there were quite noticeable photoshop fails on that one as well and she has previous for fiddling with photo’s taken by others. A pro would never have released a shot with those types of mistakes, at least the ones I used to work with – they get very particular on what is done to them and how they are used once they are handed over.
I think those fails are intended and draw the eye away from the parts of the image they don’t want scrutinized. In each recent frankenphoto one aspect becomes a lighting rod for debunking and this halts consideration of the image as a whole. Trying to figure out a “garden fence” or the kid’s clothes when there’s actually an entire other person removed, or fake legs. Odd bits drawing your eye to Kate’s ankle or chest so you are less inclined to look at her face. That KP continue to release manipulated photos that mock the public in their falsity is very sinister.
Very contemptuous, I’d say.
That’s KM & the Middletons for you, every bit as contemptuous of the gullible general public as Ma & Co are of their creditors.
All I can think is: God that poor kid.
If he isn’t screwed up even by Windsor standards it’ll be a miracle.
I don’t think it’s Windsor standards but Kate’s.. Kate is so insecure, her kids need to be 1940/50s royals. She’s the problem. No one else’s kids look like this, nor did Harry and William.
I really do think.its time to stop giving Kate credit for everything, no matter how bad. It’s been painfully obvious to me in my 27 years of royal watching that The Firm controls EVERYTHING. Kate is no Diana and gives no push back at all. The only power she has is over her own emotions and diet. George’s outfit, photo location, hairstyle, everything was chosen by either William or the men in gray. She just agreed to sign off on it.
It’s totally the firm that controls everything . She has no say in anything . I don’t know why people believe she does .
I think it is Williams idea to dress George in suits
No, she’s insecure because, Meghan.
@Subvers it’s Kate and her mother’s social Insecurity.
If only Princess Margaret was still around…… Carol M would have been sidelined years ago.
He is a good-looking kid. Was William or even Charles always photographed in suits when they were this young? I’m too lazy to look up official portraits. I don’t believe it’s really Kate who takes these pictures. And I was absolutely certain back then that Egg would never bother if he could pay someone to do it.
William and harry were dressed more casually. I don’t think Charles had to wear dress in same style suit as his dad
Edit wear same suit style as dad.
He’s handsome kid, and I find hilarious that this pretty much looks like a portfolio picture (lol, as if he needs one).
I doubt he goes to boarding school until Kate’s health is cleared. That might be one of the reasons for her to cling to her ‘in recovery’ status.
At least he’s all set for his LinkedIn profile pic.
Eton and other secondary schools like it start at 13. So George has got two years to go yet.
I suppose it is easier to photoshop a b&w photo on a plain white background if you need to.
George is in a large group of adults when he goes to games. He should go with a group of friends.
None of the children look anything like their father imo, but I do think he is going to have Pegs teeth. I’m sure he will have a wonderful birthday. Hope he enjoys the good press I figure he has a few more years until he’s fair game in the “very visible contract” his parents have cultivated with the tabloid media.
Oh he’s definitely got his father’s flared nostrils (poor kid). I noticed it the day he was born when they introduced him outside the hospital. His dad’s nostrils and his mom’s deep/double(?) eye bags.
The kid already looks like he’s in his 20s. I don’t know how Eton will affect him but I hope spending more time with kids his age, not having to be “on” at public events, will relax him a bit.
Definitely his mom’s eyes, the premature damage is already starting
Yes, those are the Spencer nostrils. The Earl has them as well.
He’s James Middleton 2.0.
@Andrea, “premature damage?” Seriously? He’s an 11-year-old child!
Charlotte increasingly looks like a mini William
Charlotte George and Louis imo have the middleton eyes. I think Charlotte has middleton looks. I hope she and the others don’t get the strong Windsor looks
The fact people don’t see how Charlotte looks exactly like William is surprising to me. She looks exactly like him, there is no Middleton in her.
Her sons look like her father. George has a gap between his teeth, so no, I don’t think his will look anything like his father’s, and that’s a good thing for him. I do think that Charlotte looks very much a Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. I’ve seen picks of young Betty that resembles Charlotte.
I never saw Charlotte looking like the queen. Lady Louise is the only grandchild who has some of the queens look. The queen looked entirely different from Charlotte. Charlotte also descends from middletons and spencers.
Classic law firm picture day, when you want your young associates to look professional and competent, but also open and approachable. This would be a great portrait, if he was 28 and gunning to make partner.
Right?! I said MBA school interview but yes law firm works too lol. Except I feel like those pics would be outside with a blurred background of trees. He looks like he’s sitting on the floor of some stadium’s back corridor. It’s bizarre.
Kept wondering what this odd picture of a non-child reminded me of, and that is it! Associate gunning for partner, trying to look eager. Thanks Chaine!
Let the kid wear children’s clothes = HE IS ELEVEN.
Nailed it. I know something about that. Haha!
I’m surprised the parents or the institution let him wear a chain bracelet, a gourmette as we say in French. If acceptable for babies and toddlers, it’s associated with being an upstart, an uneducated and tasteless parvenu showing-off in adults or teenagers. True, his mother and grandmother are social climbers and may not realise it. At that age, as well as for older men the choice goes for the types Harry wears.
Is it the bracelet he got at the TS concert? At least that would confirm it’s a newer pic if it is.
This may just be me; his left eye (as you look at the picture) looks swollen?
I’m not for a minute suggesting photoshop fails or anything untoward – I’m just surprised this is the picture issued. It was the first thing I homed in on.
Kate is a bad photographer.
Why does it look like George is looking into a light source, the way he’s squinting his eyes? As we can see in the most recent football pics, he does have bigger eyes. Or does he need glasses?
Anyway. We know they’re immensely rich from all that stolen wealth, but why did Kate insist on a cheap-looking impersonal background? And a generic pose that makes it look like the photo was taken in a mall studio with a point and click? Why not have a semi-personal setting, like… having George pick out his favorite spot in the castle grounds? Or on his bike outside?
And I can’t pinpoint what exactly rubs me the wrong way, but that photo still looks edited to me.
Keen never tries to improve. She is no testin o or Snowdon. They can afford to invest in a professional photographer maybe an up and coming one. That black and white holiday card she took was the worst.
Funny you mention the last Lord Snowdon, I think that’s exactly who she’s trying to be. Probably took a few good pics here and again while growing up and decided this was her role in life. Hey, the Firm can’t expose her because at least they can pretend there’s something useful in that noggin.
Henceforth, we’re always going to look for oddities in the stuff she/they release.
I didn’t recognize him – then realized it’s because he is smiling….
He’s a nice looking young man. Let’s hope he’s nothing like his parents but I’m not holding my breath.
This is the first time ever that I see a picture of George and think he looks like William. Follow the smoke, guys, do we look at a face swap around the nose area? Taken by Kate, aka K-AI-te?
I thought the same thing but he still resembles middletons especially around the eyes. I hope he does not get Williams bad looks.
Someone pointed out that George looks like his great uncle Charles Spencer and this photo is the perfect example
I don’t see a Spencer resemblance. He looks more like his maternal granddad. Imo. His looks will change as he grows older though
Those nostrils. William and the Earl both have them.
I agree, I see the Spencer looks. He is going to be handsome.
I wish him well. William had his mother’s looks once upon a time he now has the Windsor looks. I don’t see any Spencer looks in him. He seems to be more middleton now.
Happy Birthday !
It’s the first time I’ve seen the Spencer resemblance in him and I think it is because they have re-enacted the style of Diana’s Testino shoot
Where’s the outrage that the photo is in black and white?
To me, he looks like his maternal grandfather and uncle, particularly around the eyes. But he’s got the Windsor’s mouth.
Why would there be outrage because the photo is b+w?
Keen(er) is copykeening Meghan. Badly. Again. I hope the Tory ousting in the last UK election eventually draws mainstream attention to the different standards Keen and Meghan are held to in the media and the extreme extent Keen copykeens Meghan in everything Meghan does. I seriously doubt it happens though.
@TN Democrat
I wish there would be a change too, but there was no changing of the guard at the tabloids.
This picture is a reminder that George is set to be future sovereign: head or state, head of nation, head of the Church of England, commander of chief of UK’s armed forces. He’s eligible to take the job when he turns 18, seven years from now. If reports are correct, he will have to start riding in a separate made of transportation when he turns 12 to protect the succession. Any indication how he’s being prepared for the throne besides going to sporting events and appearing on the balcony? If George is going to be supported by UK taxpayers and eventually inherit the duchies of Cornwall (as heir apparent) and Lancaster (as sovereign) the prep work starts now. BP and the Middletons are probably battling that now. What a life.
He’s still only 11 and his parents should let him have a childhood instead of dressing him in suits and trotting him out to sporting events with his father. His parents being lazy I hope he is not expected to work sooner.
Exactly! I was just going to post something along these lines. This is like a junior-sized royal portrait.
I don’t know how BP is preparing him for the throne, but when I looked at the curriculum of his school, it seemed pretty extensive. George may end up better educated than any of his predecessors.
A royal portrait would not be taken by Kate. Charles had formal photographs taken of him over the years and no way did Charles have photographs like the one of his grandson as a formal portrait. Charles and William went to the best schools but neither are scholars. William took geography as a major. It depends on George if he wants to be better educated. William when he was in his twenties had taken many vacations and partied. It also depends if he thinks his heir can do the same thing he did.
@Tessa – I didn’t say this was a royal portrait. I said it was like a junior-sized one – like a prelude to the place he’s destined to have. And of course, it’s up to George to decide how much he wants to learn, but that wasn’t the question. The question was how and how much is George being prepared? The school seems to have an excellent curriculum, and I assume preparations for the actual role of monarch will come from BP, the same as always. Just because William has decided to half-ass his way through life doesn’t mean George will do the same.
Charles and the queen could not apparently get William to listen. William did not even complete that 10 week agriculture course. William might pull the same thing and not listen to Charles when he talks of the best way to prepare George. I recall how William was considered the golden prince who would be well prepared for his role. George unfortunately does not have a good role model. If he wants to get good preparation he himself could be the one to make sure he is well prepared. William just coasted
@Tessa – you’ve got no argument from me when it comes to William’s laziness. Role models are important, but at the end of the day, the important thing is George’s personality. Both William and Harry are making choices very different from those of their father. It’ll be interesting to see what happens.
He looks nice. I don’t think Kate took the picture but KP is gonna KP so they’ll of course lie and say she did. Hope he has a nice birthday.
I’m sure the formal business suit has a lot to do with it, but he looks so much older than 11 here.
He still has a child’s face. I think the suit ages him.
This photo is odd because he’s formally dressed but looks like he’s sitting on the floor in a boring generic medical office hallway?
He’s at that age where you can really start to see glimpses of his adult face.
I dearly hope that he’s able to form some close and lasting friendships with kids from emotionally healthy families.
“I dearly hope that he’s able to form some close and lasting friendships with kids from emotionally healthy families.”
Same. Truly trustworthy, loyal friends. He’s going to need them.
It must be a day ending with a “y”. Once again, with no prompting, KP lies about another photo. They’re addicted to lying, they can’t help themselves! This one is professionally lighted, and let’s face it, KKKhate has never mastered the finer points of depth of field in her photography.
Sure Jan, sure Duchess Lay-About took this picture.
I think it’s a good picture of George. It makes him look a bit more mature than his years, and there seems to be both a confidence and casualness about him that is captured. I think he might be sitting on a bench- his knees look like they are bent over the edge. The black and white photo prevents textural details from showing up so we can’t really tell what George is sitting on. I doubt that he would be sitting on the floor in a suit.
Poor little lad, smiling through gritted teeth I suspect.
Page Six is crowing about Keen Kate and her “effortless mastery of he common touch.” She resists “professional photographers in order show her children are being raised in a normal environment.”
That s hilarious. Does that include keen photoshopping. Common touch. What normal environment
They are ultra privileged. I recall keen did use professional photographers for things like her 40th birthday photographs
Man. He looks like a really young finance bro about to recommend his favorite wine bar.
PG stands for Poor Guy.