Kate Middleton and Prince William break Royal Family birthday tradition as George turns 11

The Prince and Princess of Wales are celebrating a special day today as their eldest son, Prince George, turns 11. Royal Family enthusiasts have been eagerly awaiting the traditional birthday photo that is typically released on his big day .

However, in a break from tradition that was also observed during the birthdays of Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis earlier this year, no photo has been shared yet. In the past, the Royal couple would release embargoed images the day before their children's birthdays. But when Louis turned six and Charlotte nine earlier this year, new photos were directly posted on social media on their actual birthdays.

As of now, there's no new picture of George, indicating that the couple isn't planning to return to their old tradition. Like with their younger children, it's possible that a new photo of George will be shared on social media later today.

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The change in process is understood to be due to the unique circumstances the family is currently facing. It's reported that William and Kate have requested privacy following the princess's cancer diagnosis.

Just a week prior to George's birthday, he accompanied his father, William, in cheering for England during their Euro 2024 final match against Spain, marking one of many recent public appearances. The pair joined the crowd at Berlin's Olympiastadion as Gareth Southgate's team was unable to secure a major men's trophy after a wait of 58 years.

This wasn't George's first experience rooting for England in a Euros final. In fact, he had previously been spotted beside William and his mother, Kate, enthusiastically celebrating an early goal by the Three Lions during the Euro 2020 final.

As the eldest of the couple's three children and next in line for the throne, George has been increasingly seen in public venues lately.

Back in June, George relished the opportunity to meet pop icon Taylor Swift at her concert held at Wembley Stadium. Accompanied by his younger sister Charlotte, aged nine, George happily posed with the American singer for a backstage selfie to commemorate his father's 42nd birthday.

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Swift's boyfriend and NFL player, Travis Kelce, expressed that the young royals were "an absolute delight".

A slight week before this eventful meeting, George, alongside other members of the Royal family, stepped out on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to celebrate the King's official birthday. Thousands received a cheerful wave from George as Kate attended her first public event since disclosing her cancer diagnosis earlier in the year.

Prior to this momentous event, George, his sister, along with their six-year-old brother Louis joined their mother in a carriage ride down The Mall for the age-old Trooping the Colour ceremony.

In May, George and his father presented the FA Cup to winners Man United at Wembley. Both royals shook hands with both teams as they collected their runners-up and winners' medals respectively.