LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - MAY 06: (EMBARGOED FOR PUBLICATION IN UK NEWSPAPERS UNTIL 24 HOURS AFTER CREATE DATE AND TIME) Prince George of Wales (in his role as Page of Honour) and King Charles III watch an RAF flypast from the balcony of Buckingham Palace following the Coronation of King Charles III & Queen Camilla at Westminster Abbey on May 6, 2023 in London, England. The Coronation of Charles III and his wife, Camilla, as King and Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the other Commonwealth realms takes place at Westminster Abbey today. Charles acceded to the throne on 8 September 2022, upon the death of his mother, Elizabeth II. (Photo by Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

Prince George receives birthday wish from royal family

The 12 year old is King Charles' eldest grandchild

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JULY 22, 2025 1:41 PM EDTJUL 22, 2025, 1:41 PM EDT

The British royal family's official social media accounts celebrated Prince George's 12th birthday. "Wishing a very happy birthday to Prince George! 🎈🎊," their birthday wish for the future King read on X.

LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 14: (L-R) Queen Camilla, King Charles III, Prince Louis of Wales, Prince William, Prince of Wales, Prince George of Wales, Princess Charlotte of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during Trooping The Colour 2025 on June 14, 2025 in London, England. Trooping The Colour is a ceremonial parade celebrating the official birthday of the British Monarch. The event features over 1,400 soldiers and officers, accompanied by 200 horses. More than 400 musicians from ten different bands and Corps of Drums march and while performing. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

The royal family's message on Tuesday was accompanied by the new photo of George that was released by the Prince and Princess of Wales on July 22. The picture, showing the Prince smiling as he crossed his arms on a fence, was taken by photographer Josh Shinner earlier this year in Norfolk.

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Prince William and Catherine additionally shared a video that was filmed during the same photo session as George's 12th birthday portrait. The video included footage of the birthday boy with his younger siblings, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

George, who was a Page of Honour at his paternal grandfather's 2023 coronation, is the eldest of King Charles' grandchildren. Following the birth of his first grandchild in 2013, Charles said, "Both my wife and I are overjoyed at the arrival of my first grandchild. It is an incredibly special moment for William and Catherine and we are so thrilled for them on the birth of their baby boy."

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He continued, "Grandparenthood is a unique moment in anyone’s life, as countless kind people have told me in recent months, so I am enormously proud and happy to be a grandfather for the first time and we are eagerly looking forward to seeing the baby in the near future.”

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Charles and Camilla both visited St Marys Hospital the day George was born. Camilla called George's birth "wonderful news." She was also quoted as saying at the time (via the Express): "And I think it's a wonderfully uplifting moment for the country. It's very exciting and it's wonderful for the grandfather - he's brilliant with children."

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - JULY 23: Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall leave The Lindo Wing after visiting The Duke and Duchess Of Cambridge and their newborn son at St Mary's Hospital at St Mary's Hospital on July 23, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Niki Nikolova/FilmMagic)

In addition to Prince George, the King is a grandfather to the Prince and Princess of Wales' daughter Princess Charlotte and their younger son Prince Louis, and Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's two kids, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

Back in 2018, Prince William shared that his father is "brilliant" as a grandfather. In the Prince, Son and Heir: Charles at 70 documentary, William said (via PEOPLE), "Having more time with him at home would be lovely, and being able to you know play around with the grandchildren. Because when he’s there, he’s brilliant."