For fans and followers of the monarchy, a new royal portrait is always a big deal. And while any Cambridge or Sussex family moment prompts plenty of discussion, there’s a particular appetite for rare snapshots of the children – the Prince and Princess of Wales’s brood, George, Charlotte and Louis, or the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s son and daughter, Archie and Lilibet.
Photographs of the three Wales children are traditionally released to mark major milestones, like christenings, birthdays and anniversaries. These family photos are often taken by the Princess of Wales herself, who is a keen amateur photographer and a patron of the National Portrait Gallery. Other portraits released over the years have captured the children welcoming their new siblings home, or slipping on their backpacks for their first day at nursery, and the Wales family often releases the group photo that appears on their Christmas card.
This year, to mark 13-year-old Prince George’s first day at Eton College, Kensington Palace released a few smart yet relaxed-looking portraits of the young royal in his freshly ironed uniform. It’s an important and celebratory occasion, not least because Prince William was photographed on almost exactly the same day 31 years earlier, when his mother Princess Diana accompanied him to his first term as an Eton boarder.
Below, see all of the children’s portraits over the years.
2026
To celebrate Prince George’s first day at Eton – as a full boarder nonetheless – Kensington Palace shared an image of the young royal in the school’s iconic tailcoats.
2026
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In celebration of Prince George’s 13th birthday, Kensington Palace released a new portrait of the young royal – captured with his hands tucked casually into his pockets, dressed in an open-necked white shirt and dark suit. Posted to the Prince and Princess of Wales’s official Instagram account, the image – taken by royal photographer Matt Porteous – arrived with a suitably celebratory caption, “Happy 13th Birthday, George!”
2026
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To mark their daughter’s fifth birthday, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex shared a summery portrait of them holding their daughter, alongside another of Lilibet in among the nature and wildflowers. “Our dream girl. Happy 5th birthday, Lili,” read the caption.
2026
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To mark their 15th wedding anniversary, the Prince and Princess of Wales posted a playful photo of the couple and their three children – plus two dogs – lounging in the springtime grass. “Celebrating 15 years of marriage,” read the caption.
2026
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For Louis’s eighth birthday, the Prince and Princess of Wales posted a sweet, smiling pic of their son in a zip-up knit with his arms crossed aboard a boat. “Happy birthday, Louis! 8 today!” read the caption, alongside a balloon emoji.
2025
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Ahead of Christmas, Meghan posted an adorable family photo featuring herself with Prince Harry, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, along with the caption: “Happy Holidays! From our family to yours”.
2025
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On December 18, the Prince and Princess of Wales posted the photo that appears on their royal Christmas card: a snap of the family sitting in the grass, taken by photographer Josh Shinner in the spring of 2025.
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To celebrate his 12th birthday on 22 July 2025, the Prince and Princess of Wales released a photograph of Prince George, taken by Josh Sinner in Norfolk.
2025
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To mark Father’s Day on 15 June, the Waleses shared two photographs of Prince William with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, taken by photographer Josh Sinner in Norfolk earlier this year.
2025
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Following the Trooping the Colour parade for King Charles III’s birthday on 14 June, the Prince and Princess of Wales shared a family photo taken outside their home at Kensington Palace.
2025
To mark her 10th birthday on 2 May 2025, the Prince and Princess of Wales released a photograph of Princess Charlotte, taken by her mother during a recent hiking trip.
2025
Prince Louis, Kate and William’s youngest child, turned seven on 23 April. His parents posted a photograph of him dressed in jeans and a V-neck jumper, showing off a gap-toothed grin for the camera.
2025
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While promoting her new Netflix show in March 2025, the Duchess of Sussex posted a candid family snap that shows her picking berries in the garden, with Lilibet in her arms and Archie cuddling her leg.
2024
On 22 July 2024, Kate and William’s eldest child, Prince George, turned 11. The royal couple shared a new black and white photo taken by the Princess of Wales to mark the occasion.
2024
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On Prince William’s 42nd birthday, the Princess of Wales posted a sweet family snap of the couple’s three children – Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis – leaping over a sand dune hand in hand with their dad.
2024
To mark Princess Charlotte’s ninth birthday, on 2 May 2024, Kensington Palace released this new photo of the royal, taken by her mother, the Princess of Wales.
2024
For Prince Louis’s sixth birthday, on 23 April 2024, the Prince and Princess of Wales shared this new photograph of their son.
2023
On Christmas morning, the Prince and Princess released an informal portrait of their three children, taken by Josh Shinner.
2023
2023
Princess Charlotte’s eighth birthday portrait, taken by the Princess of Wales in Windsor.
2023
Prince Louis’s fifth birthday portrait, in which he grins while being pushed on a wheelbarrow by his mother, the Princess of Wales.
2023
Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis pictured with the late Queen Elizabeth II, alongside some of her other grandchildren and great-grandchildren – Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor; James, Earl of Wessex; Lena Tindall; Isla Phillips; Mia Tindall; Lucas Tindall and Savannah Phillips. The photograph was taken by the Princess of Wales at Balmoral in the summer of 2022, and released on 21 April 2023 to mark what would have been the Queen’s 97th birthday.
2022
Prince George’s ninth birthday portrait, taken by the Duchess of Cambridge during a trip to the beach.
2022
Lilibet’s first birthday portrait, captured by Misan Harriman over the Platinum Jubilee weekend.
2022
Princess Charlotte poses with the Cambridge family dog, Orla, for her seventh birthday.
2022
A portrait of Prince Louis for his fourth birthday.
2021
The Cambridge family Christmas card.
2021
Prince George’s eighth birthday portrait.
2021
Princess Charlotte’s sixth birthday portrait.
2021
Prince Louis’s third birthday portrait.
2020
The Cambridge family Christmas card.
2020
The Cambridge family with Sir David Attenborough.
2020
Prince George’s seventh birthday portrait.
2020
Princess Charlotte’s fifth birthday portrait.
2020
Prince Louis’s second birthday portrait.
2019
Prince George’s sixth birthday portrait.
2019
Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor’s christening.
2019
Princess Charlotte’s fourth birthday portrait.
2019
Prince Louis’s first birthday portrait.
2018
Prince George’s fifth birthday portrait.
2018
Prince Louis’s christening.
2017
Prince George’s first day of school.
2017
Princess Charlotte’s second birthday portrait.
2017
Prince George’s fourth birthday portrait.
2016
Princess Charlotte’s first birthday portrait.
2016
Prince George’s third birthday portrait.
2016
Prince George’s first day of nursery.
2015
Princess Charlotte’s homecoming with Prince George.
2014
Prince George on his first birthday.