PRINCE George looked smart in his black-and-white 11th birthday portrait – and eagle-eyed fans will notice a new addition to his outfit.
The young prince can be seen wearing a friendship bracelet above the cuff of his white shirt in the regal-looking photo.
The image was taken by mum Princess Kate and shared on the Kensington Palace special media page today.
King Charles, 75, has also been seen wearing what appears to be a “friendship bracelet” during his recent public appearances.
This included his visit to Guernsey with Queen Camilla.
The monarch’s bracelet appears to be a red and white knotted bracelet, and is similar to two threaded bracelets worn by Princess Charlotte at Wimbledon.
As the nine-year-old royal accompanied her mum Princess Kate to the Men’s Final, she could be seen wearing one pink bracelet and another with green, blue and pink threads.
It hasn’t been confirmed if King Charles, Prince George and Princess Charlotte’s friendship bands are linked, but they have been soaring in popularity.
The giving of the friendship bands has particularly become a fad of those attending Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, and we saw Prince William take George and Charlotte along on his 42nd birthday.
The royals posted an adorable selfie they took with the world-famous singer after the show.
The idea originates from Taylor’s song You’re On Your Own, Kid, released in October 2022 on the album Midnights.
That was just before she embarked on her epic world tour and the fans took the lyrics seriously.
She sings: “So make the friendship bracelets. Take the moment and taste it. You’ve got no reason to be afraid.”
It started small but spread quickly as fans posted videos of themselves on TikTok, making then swapping them with others while waiting for the show.
Travis Kelce, now Taylor’s American footballer boyfriend, even made one with his phone number on it when he went to a show last summer while hoping to meet the singer backstage.
He talked about it on his podcast which Taylor heard and it lead to them dating shortly after. Talk about romance.
Some of the beaded creations feature song lyrics, while others have acronyms of famous lines which are inside jokes to fellow enthusiasts.
One elaborately-coded example made by fans reads ATWTMVTVFTVSG AVRALPS — or, for the non-Swifties, All Too Well Ten Minute Version Taylor’s Version From The Vault Sad Girl Autumn Version Recorded At Long Pond Studios.
As Swiftmania continues to sweep the country there have even been reports of high street craft stores running out of beads.
According to body language expert Judi James, Prince George’s birthday image – taken by Kate at Windsor earlier this month – includes six indicators of Prince George’s new “confidence.”
Judi told Fabulous: “Like all his family, George has had some fast-track growing up to do in the past year.
“His mother’s illness will have had an impact on them all but then there have also been the fun moments, like when he fan-boy-ed Taylor Swift with his dad and sister and then his appearance at the Euros.
“This pose reflects that year so well, throwing up six key body language signals that provide clues about his personality.”
Kate Middleton’s ‘golden rule’ with George, Charlotte and Louis
KATE’S key rule for Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis is about kindness.
According to HELLO! Online’s Royal Correspondent: “Based on observations of photographs of Princess Diana at the time, and the current Princess of Wales, they are both very affectionate with their children.
“Kate is often seen holding her children’s hands or picking them up for cuddles when they were smaller.
“There are often lots of comforting gestures, such as a pat on the back or stroking their hair. When interacting with other children on her public engagements, Kate often crouches down to their level to engage with them – something that Diana would often do.”
When she’s at the family’s home of Adelaide Cottage in Windsor, despite her royal status, insiders say Kate is just like any other “normal mum”.
A friend explained that behind closed doors, the 42-year-old is “very chilled at home” but definitely not a pushover and will tell the kids off when needed.
They told PEOPLE: “It’s a normal, busy family home with kids running around and knocking things over. There’s no airs and graces.
“She is doing that to help her children be more grounded and keep their reality in check. That’s what really matters to her.”
The eldest son of Princess Kate and Prince William was recently seen at the Euros Men’s Final, as England narrowly lost out on the winning trophy to Spain.
Phil Dampier told Fabulous: “I’m sure he will receive some wonderful presents for his 11th birthday.
“I’m sure ponies [which can cost £3,000], rifles, fishing rods and expensive toys are all an option.
“He may even be straying towards an interest in music, and perhaps receive an instrument.”