Time has royally flown by because Prince George is officially a teenager.
Prince William and Kate Middleton’s firstborn turned 13 years old July 22.
In honor of the occasion, a new portrait of the teen wearing a white button-up shirt and dark suit was posted to the Prince and Princess of Wales’ official Instagram account. They also thanked fans for their well-wishes with a video that showed George enjoying a day at the beach, where he played cricket, pet family dog Otto, went boating and climbed rocks with 8-year-old brother Prince Louis.
For many, it seems like just yesterday William and Kate were bringing their eldest son—also big brother to 11-year-old Princess Charlotte—home from St. Mary’s Hospital in London. Now, George is almost as tall as his mom and has already reached her shoe size.
"They’re getting big now," Kate told a fan in a video shared on social media from her visit to London’s Natural History Museum in September. "George is already in my shoes."
And one day, he'll have even bigger kicks to fill, currently second in line to the throne behind his dad William and Grandpa King Charles III.
"There’s lots of things to think about with that," William noted on an October episode of The Reluctant Traveler With Eugene Levy. "But obviously, I want to create a world in which my son is proud of what we do and a world and a job that actually does impact people’s lives for the better. That is caveated with I hope we don’t go back to some of the practices in the past that Harry and I had to grow up in. And I’ll do everything I can to make sure we don’t regress in that situation."
But while the increased attention and pressure looms, for now, George is just focused on starting high school. This fall, he will begin studying at the prestigious boys’ boarding school Eton College, which William and his younger brother Prince Harry also attended once they turned 13. And it looks like the future pupil already excels in one particular subject.
"George, my son, is way better at history than I am," William admitted to Eugene Levy. "I have to check with him now on my dates."As for his own personal calendar, it's chock full of royal engagements—like the Trooping the Colour he attended with his family in June—as well as service visits. Last December, he and William helped with holiday preparations at the homelessness charity The Passage (the same organization the late Princess Diana once visited with William and Harry).
However, William and Kate believe they need to leave room amid all that business for a bit of pleasure.
"Getting the balance of work and family life right is really important," he added in the series. "Because, for me, the most important thing in my life is family, and everything is about the future and about, if you don’t start the children off now with a happy, healthy, stable home, I feel you’re setting them up for a bit of a hard time and a fall. So, it’s about making sure that we can look after our families, look after our children in a way that we feel is best for their future."
That includes ensuring their kids have as normal a life as possible. George's love of sports has brought the family out to watch matches at Wimbledon and cheer on soccer squad Aston Villa. He’s also apparently gotten more into music. Although, Kate has indicated there can be a bit of a debate about what to blast during school drop-off.
"Everyone wants different songs," she revealed in an Instagram video from her June visit to The Christie NHS Foundation Trust. "Charlotte wants Taylor Swift. George wants more rock. He loves AC/DC. He plays the guitar. And then Louis wants Alex Warren."
Another familiar debate revolves around screen time.
“It’s really hard,” William admitted to Luciano Huck in a clip shared by Sky News from his November visit to Brazil. "Our children don’t have phones. I think when George moves on to secondary school then maybe he might have a phone that has no internet access. It’s getting to the point where it’s becoming a little bit of a tense issue. But I think he understands why. We communicate why we don’t think it’s right. And again, I think it’s the internet access I have a problem with. I think children can access too much stuff they don’t need to see online."
If you’ve been debating whether you should brush up on more royal news, keep reading.
Meghan Markle's Show With Love, Meghan Scores Daytime Emmy Nomination
Meghan Markle earned her first-ever Daytime Emmy nod on July 14 for the 2026 award show after her series With Love, Meghan was nominated for Outstanding Lifestyle Program.
Prince Harry & More Lose $50 Million In Legal Fees After Privacy Lawsuit Loss
On July 7, British Justice Matthew Nicklin ruled against a group of high profile figures—including the Duke of Sussex, Elton John and Elizabeth Hurley—in a lawsuit accusing the Associated Newspapers, the publisher of the Daily Mail, of unlawful information gathering.
In the lawsuit, filed in 2022, the plaintiffs accused the newspaper organization of mobile phone hacking, landline bugging and even home bugging in 97 separate allegations.
In May, Princess Eugenie shared she and her husband Jack Brooksbank—who share sons August, 5, and Ernest, 2—are expecting their third baby together.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, was arrested on Feb. 19, his 66th birthday, on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
The arrest came amid renewed controversy over Andrew's alleged ties to Jeffrey Epstein. (Andrew has denied any wrongdoing.)
Prince William and Kate Middleton Break Silence on the Epstein Files
The Duke and Duchess of Wales spoke out amid the release of millions of documents in connection with Jeffrey Epstein, sharing their support for the victims of the late convicted sex offender.
"I can confirm The Prince and Princess have been deeply concerned by the continuing revelations," a Kensington Palace spokesperson shared in a statement obtained by MS NOW Feb. 9. "Their thoughts remain focused on the victims."
Marius Borg Høiby, Son of Norway's Crown Princess, Arrested Ahead of Rape Trial
Marius Borg Høiby—the eldest son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit and step-son of Crown Prince Haakon—was arrested Feb. 1 for assault, threats with a knife and violation of a restraining order, Oslo police confirmed in a statement to The Associated Press.
The 29-year-old—who does not carry a royal title or official duties—is being kept in detention for up to four weeks over risks of reoffending after the Oslo district court granted the request. His attorney Petar Sekulic told the outlet that they are considering appealing the decision.
Høiby is expected in court Feb. 3 as part of a separate indictment regarding four alleged rapes between 2018 and 2024, as well as two alleged acts of violence against a partner and violating a restraining order.
His defense team addressed the allegations in a statement to the AP, saying that Høiby "denies all charges of sexual abuse, as well as the majority of the charges regarding violence."
Flora Vesterberg, Queen Elizabeth's Cousin, Announces Pregnancy
Flora Vesterberg, the granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II's first cousin Princess Alexandra, announced that she is pregnant with her and husband Timothy Vesterberg's first baby.
"Delighted to share that Timothy and I are expecting our first child," she wrote on Instagram Jan. 19. "We're truly over the moon."
Prince Harry Appears in Court for Lawsuit Against U.K. Tabloids
Harry appeared at London’s High Court Jan. 19 for the start of what is expected to be a weeks-long trial against Associated Newspapers—the media group that publishes the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday, and Mail Online—over allegations of unethical newsgathering tactics
Other stars including Elton John, Elizabeth Hurley, and Sadie Frost are also taking aim against the publishing company in the lawsuit.
Associated Newspapers has “vigorously denied” the claims, according to the BBC.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Celebrate 10 Years Together
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex celebrated ten years together by sharing a romantic black and white video of themselves dancing in their backyard.
Set to Olivia Dean’s “So Easy (To Fall In Love),” the couple revealed that the clip was recorded by none other than their 4-year-old daughter Lilibet. Alongside a camera emoji, Meghan—who also shares 6-year-old son Archie with Harry— added in the caption of the Jan. 16 Instagram post, “cred: our daughter.”
The couple also shared a throwback photo from their first year of dating. In the adorable snap, the pair embraced each other during a nature-filled getaway.
“When 2026 feels just like 2016….,” Meghan wrote in the caption. “You had to be there.”
The Greek royal family’s private office announced Jan. 15 that Queen Sofia of Spain’s sister died at the age of 83.
As the statement read, "It is with deep sadness that the Greek Royal Family announces that HRH Princess Irene, beloved sister and aunt, passed away on Thursday, January 15th 2026, at 11:40 local time, in Zarzuela Palace in Madrid surrounded by loved ones."
Her funeral was held Jan. 19 at the Metropolitan Cathedral in Athens following her death, with the burial at the Royal Cemetery of Tatoi.
Kate Middleton Celebrates Her Birthday With Moving Message
On her 44th birthday, the Princess of Wales shared a message on the power of nature to heal.
“Even in the coldest, darkest season, winter has a way of bringing us stillness, patience and quiet consideration,” Kate said in a voiceover alongside footage of snowy landscapes in her Jan. 9 video. “Where the stream slows just enough for us to see our own reflection, to discover the deepest parts of ourselves, alongside the whispers and the pulse of every living thing.”
She added, “I find myself reflecting on how deeply grateful I am. For the rivers within us flow with ease, fears washed away, cleanse and purify, come to peace with our tears and discover what it means to be alive, to be at one with nature—a quiet teacher and a soft voice that guides in memory helping us to heal in.”
Kate Middleton Makes Surprise Appearance With Prince William
The Princess of Wales marked her first public appearance of 2026 as she joined her husband during an engagement at the Charing Cross Hospital in London. The outing in support of healthcare workers came almost a year after she announced she was in remission following her cancer diagnosis.