The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have thanked the public for their kind birthday messages as Prince George celebrates turning seven.

Buckingham Palace and Clarence House both joined in wishing the young future king a happy birthday on Wednesday, sharing photos of the growing royal taken by Kate to mark the occasion.

Kensington Palace’s official Twitter account posted: “Thank you everyone for your very kind wishes on Prince George’s birthday today!”

George looks every inch the happy royal in the two new photographs.

With his blond locks and gap-toothed smile, the third in line to the throne is growing up fast.

Kate snapped away at her son during the lockdown earlier this month, and the images were likely to have been taken at their Norfolk home.

In one picture, George smiles directly at his mother’s camera as he wears a polo shirt.

In the other, he is more casually dressed in a camouflage T-shirt as he stands side-on.

Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge was born in the private Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, at 4.24pm on July 22 2013, weighing 8lb 6oz.

He made his public debut in front of the world’s media on the hospital steps one day later, wrapped in a white merino wool shawl, cradled in his proud parents’ arms.

A great-grandchild to the Queen, he will be the 43rd monarch since William the Conqueror obtained the crown of England if, as expected, he follows the reigns of his grandfather, the Prince of Wales, and then his father, William.

During the lockdown, George was pictured a number of times with his younger siblings, five-year-old Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, aged two, applauding health and care workers during the weekly show of support.

William and Kate have both joked about home-schooling George and his brother and sister during the past months.

When the duchess was asked about teaching her children in a recent interview, she mentioned the popular book Spider Sandwiches by Claire Freedman.

She said: “George gets very upset because he just wants to do all of Charlotte’s projects. Spider sandwiches are far cooler than literacy work.”