Prince George is growing up so fast.
The young British royal celebrates his fourth birthday today — although it seems like only yesterday that the world waited in anticipation to see the first glimpse of the little prince. This fall, George will mark a big childhood milestone as he starts prep school at Thomas’s London Day School in Battersea. While the school requires a uniform — including sneakers, black laceless shoes and ballet shoes for dance lessons — we know George will continue to show off his dapper style during his official royal appearances alongside his parents, Prince William and Kate Middleton.
George has already proved to be quite a fashion influencer, helping to give a hefty sales and publicity boost to the designers and brands he wears. When it comes to his footwear, he has several favorite labels that he keeps in regular rotation, among them Start-rite, Trotters, Pepa & Co. and Papouelli.
During a visit to Warsaw, Poland, this week, George showed off his summer style in a pair of navy shorts, a checkered button-down shirt and Start-rite’s John lace-up shoes. Now that he’s leaving his baby years behind, he’s switched from his usual knee socks to more grown-up ankle socks.
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This spring at his aunt Pippa Middleton’s wedding in Englefield, England, George looked like the perfect page boy in a Pepa & Co. double-breasted shirt, knickerbockers and cummerbund, topped off with a pair of the Spanish brand’s Celebration lace-up dress shoes.
On Christmas Day last winter, George attended church services in his mom’s hometown of Bucklebury, England, dressed in British label Papouelli’s classic Barney loafer in navy blue. He was first spotted wearing the style during his family’s royal tour to Canada in the fall.
And who can forget the prince’s scene-stealing moment in one of the official portraits taken last April to commemorate his great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth’s 90th birthday? Shot by photographer Ranald Mackechnie, the image captures four generations of Windsors: the Queen, Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince George. Charmingly outfitted in a Rachel Riley shirt-and-shorts set, knee socks and his favorite Start-rite Jo T-bar shoes, a then-2-year-old George happily grinned for the camera. In an outtake of the photo released by Buckingham Palace, George can be seen cheekily perched on top of a stack of foam blocks while holding his dad’s hand to steady himself.
While George is usually dressed in more classic, dressed-up fare, he had a wonderfully down-to-earth moment at the 2015 Festival of Polo at the Beaufort Polo Club in Gloucestershire, England. As his mom looked on, he toddled around the grass wearing a simple sweater-and-shorts outfit paired with navy-blue Crocs clogs.
Another memorable shoe moment came last April when former U.S. President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama visited little George at his home in Kensington Palace. The prince greeted his famous visitors in his pajamas, which he topped with a monogrammed robe and a pair of Trotters velvet slippers detailed with an embroidered airplane on the toes. Not surprisingly, images of the Obamas’ visit with George — released on Instagram by Kensington Palace — sent the Internet into a frenzy.
