Prince William and Princess Kate’s eldest child, Prince George, turned 11 on July 22. To mark the occasion, his parents continued their lovely tradition of releasing a new portrait of him. The photo, taken by his mother, Kate Middleton, reflects Prince George’s developing sense of style.
A closer look at Prince George’s birthday portrait
The black-and-white picture shows Prince George wearing a dark blazer and pants with a white shirt. However, the accessory on his wrist drew everyone’s attention. Prince George is wearing a string bracelet, which is similar to the friendship bracelets popularized during Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour concerts as per PEOPLE. This bracelet trend has been widely adopted by Swift’s fans, known as Swifties.
Last month, Prince William took Prince George and Princess Charlotte to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in London to celebrate his 42nd birthday. The royal family had the opportunity to meet Taylor Swift and her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, at the event.
The children’s smiles in rare selfies shared on Instagram reflected the joy of the occasion. After the concert, Prince George and Princess Charlotte were seen wearing string bracelets similar to those worn by Taylor Swift fans.
Prince George and Princess Charlotte wearing bracelets everywhere
The trend did not end with the concert. On July 14, Prince George and Princess Charlotte were seen wearing string bracelets on separate outings with their parents. Prince George was spotted wearing a multicolored string bracelet while on a trip to Germany with Prince William to watch the UEFA European Championship.
They cheered on the England team, but Spain eventually won 2-1. Meanwhile, Princess Charlotte wore two string bracelets, one pale pink and one blue, while attending the Wimbledon Tennis Championships with Princess Kate and their aunt Pippa Middleton.
This event was important because it marked Princess Kate’s second public appearance in 2024, despite her ongoing cancer treatment. A palace insider told PEOPLE, “She won’t have to be on center stage. Being with her family and just being herself will give her energy. There will be plenty of time to focus on her recovery.”
King Charles joins the bracelet trend
Prince George and Princess Charlotte aren’t the only royals who have embraced this accessory trend. King Charles has also been spotted wearing a string bracelet this summer. His red and yellow twisted string bracelet was first noticed during a July 11 visit to Wales with Queen Camilla. The King wore it again on trips to the Channel Islands of Jersey and Guernsey on July 15 and July 16, as well as at Parliament’s State Opening on July 17.
None of them were seen wearing the bracelets at Trooping the Colour on June 15, meaning that the trend is new to their wardrobes. King Charles has previously paid tribute to his grandchildren through his fashion choices. Reportedly, the pink and blue dinosaur tie in his wardrobe was thought to have been a Christmas gift from one of his grandchildren.
King Charles’ latest fashion statement, the bracelet, was visible as he waved after leaving the Houses of Parliament on July 17, Queen Camilla’s 77th birthday. He appeared to be in good spirits as he continued his cancer treatment.
