Prince George's official birthday portrait features a sweet tribute to Prince Philip

The Cambridges are one of the most talked-about families in the world, but while the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge spend the most time in front of the cameras, it’s their children that really steal the limelight.

From Princess Charlotte’s signature sass and Prince George’s cheeky grin to Prince Louis' love of interrupting Zoom calls, these miniature royals never fail to make headlines.

The Cambridge children made particular news this week, as Prince George celebrated his eighth birthday, with the Duke and Duchess releasing a sweet portrait of their son.

'Turning eight(!) tomorrow,' the Duke and Duchess posted to Instagram, with the sweet snap featuring a very special nod to Prince Philip.

Eagle-eyed followers were quick to spot the tribute, noting that Prince George was sitting on the hood of a Land Rover Defender, known to be Prince Philip's favourite car.

Prince George's birthday portrait this year was taken by Kate Middleton, something that also surprised the public.

While Kate always photographs Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, it is usually a professional photographer who is behind the camera for Prince George's official portraits. This is something that according to sources is all about lineage, with Prince George being third in line to the throne.

Taking to Twitter to explain why Prince George’s photos have until now been taken by a professional photographer, royal site Gert’s Royals explained.

‘1. He’s heir to the throne,’ the platform wrote. ‘2. A number of them were “bonus photos” from previous released sets. (E.g. Charlotte & Louis’s Christenings).’

Well, that’s that.

Happy birthday to Prince George!