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Revealed: The very thoughtful reasons why royal children always wear suits - after Prince George sported formal attire for his 11th birthday portrait
Prince George delighted royal fans yesterday following the release of his eleventh birthday portrait.
In the image, the young royal, who is second-in-line to the British throne, appeared in high spirits as he beamed towards the camera. Posting the snap on socials, the Waleses said: 'Wishing Prince George a very happy 11th birthday today!'
George opted to wear a dapper suit and crisp shirt in the monochrome image, adding a touch of formality to his special day.
It is a trend often followed by royal children, with Prince William and Prince Harry regularly dressing in suits throughout their youth.
However, speaking exclusively to FEMAIL, royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams revealed that the decision to dress young royals in suits is not one taken lightly; rather it is a longstanding tradition filled with meaning.
In his eleventh birthday portrait, Prince George, who is second-in-line to the British throne, put on a dazzling display in a suit
Richard said: 'When royal children are in public, they are in the public eye. There is also a certain formality that goes with appearing in public. George wore a suit at the Euros final to match his father's. It worked.
'It is important to bear in mind that if they wore casual clothes at a formal occasion, it would be world news.
'Although they are children, they represent an institution. It is obvious that being smart is the sensible option. What royal children wear can start trends.
'Obviously, in the photographs of them that are released, what they wear varies enormously, depending on the mood sought. They are only children, but they are not ordinary children.'
The royal expert continued: 'They do tend to follow upper class traditions, such as young boys wearing shorts.
'However, they should avoid controversy in the clothes they wear when in public and that invariably means playing safe and being smart.
'We've often seen him [Prince George] look casual on his birthday. This is smart casual, but the image is particularly striking as he has inherited the looks of his parents, the world's most glamorous royal couple.
'Some of the recent photos released of him were casual. In Taylor Swift's selfie, he had the balance just right. This is deliberately different and is therefore memorable. Catherine is a skilled photographer.'
Wearing formal attire is a common trend among royal children, one that Prince William also followed when her was younger (seen in 2004)
Following in the footsteps of his older brother, Prince Harry was also spotted in a suit many times during his youth (seen in 1995)
Prince William and Prince George opted for similar suits at the FA Cup Final in Manchester in May, 2024
Meanwhile, Pepa González, founder of Pepa London, a brand the Wales children have sported on numerous occasions, agreed with Richard's thoughts.
She said: 'The Royal family always tend to wear formal attire as this represents the tradition and quality craftsmanship of outfits once worn by their ancestors. They must look smart but also relatable.
'We have seen an increasing demand for heritage style blazers, formal shirts and suits for younger children from as little as five years old as their parents look to emulate the regal look.'
Rachel Riley, owner of her eponymous baby and children's clothing brand, which has been photographed on all three of the Royal children, added: 'We are used to seeing the children dressed in timeless outfits for official occasions and by opting for more classic styles, it means the pictures will never date.'
Elsewhere, royal fans likened Prince George to his father, the Prince of Wales, in the image posted for his 11th birthday.
The black and white photo, taken by keen photographer Kate, 42, shows the future King in a suit, beaming at the camera.
George, who is the eldest of the Waleses children and second-in-line to the throne, had his hair combed to the side in the image.
He looked dapper and sharp, donning a blazer, smart trousers and a crisp white shirt as he smiled and looked into the lens of the camera.
Prince William is photographed at the late Queen Mother's 94th birthday at Clarence House in 1994
Prince Harry put on a sweet display in a navy suit jacket alongside the late Diana, Princess of Wales in August, 1995
And lovers of The Firm have compared the young royal to his father, Prince William, 42, adding that he 'looks so much like his dad'.
They took to both the Prince and Princess of Wales's social media accounts on X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram to comment their thoughts.
One wrote: 'He's the spitting image of his father, honestly. Happy Birthday George! How is he 11 already?' Another penned: 'A handsome young man! He takes after his dad, so alike.'
A third said: 'Oh my word, he looks like his father. Happy Birthday Prince George. And congratulations to the Princess of Wales on another perfect photo.' A fourth commented: 'Prince George looks so much like his dad.'
The young royal was born George Alexander Louis on July 22, 2013, in the Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital, Paddington, London.
In the photo, he is also wearing what appears to be a handmade bracelet on his left wrist, which looks strikingly similar to jewellery sported 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.
She is particularly adept at capturing her family in natural poses, letting their personalities shine through.
And it seems George possesses strong Spencer genes, as other fans pointed out how much he looks like other members of the brood.
Prince Harry and Prince William mirrored each other in matching outfits at the VJ Day 50th anniversary celebrations in London, 1995
The youngest child of the Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince Louis, six, donned a suit to Trooping the Colour in June
Some said he looked like his grandmother, the late Princess Diana, his great-uncle, Charles Spencer and his great-grandfather, John Spencer.
One wrote: 'George is the image of Diana's dad,' while another penned: 'He looks like his uncle Charles Spencer.' A third chimed in and said: 'He looks like Diana,' followed by a red love heart emoji.
The Prince and Princess of Wales are sternly private about their children's lives, meaning royal fans will be left guessing as to how George will spend his special day.
However, the 11-year-old royal's godmother has revealed a special tradition, inspired by Princess Diana, that she takes part in with her godson every year on his birthday.
British psychotherapist Julia Samuels, 64, formed a close friendship with Lady Diana after meeting her at a dinner party in 1987.
Speaking on the How to Fail with Elizabeth Day podcast, she previously revealed that she buys the 'feisty and cheeky' young royal 'impossible' noisy toys that take the Prince of Wales, 42, 'days to put together' in a running joke inspired by Diana.
In 2020, Mary Berry described Kate as a 'normal mum' who stays up late before her children's birthdays to bake them cakes.
When quizzed on her baking skills, Mary said: 'She is good at piping and she makes her own children's birthday cakes, just like a normal mum.'