Kate Middleton releases a handsome new photo of Prince George to mark his ninth birthday

Happy birthday Prince George!

In celebration of the young royal's ninth birthday today, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have released a new photo of their eldest son - and he is one handsome young man.

The sweet snaps show the little prince flashing a big smile as he stares into the camera.

The photograph was reportedly taken while the family was on holiday in the UK earlier this month.

In the shot, George wears a blue polo shirt as he stands on a sandy shoreline.

"George is turning 9!" the photo was captioned on social media, complete with a birthday cake and balloon emoji.

Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge was born in the private Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital in London in July 2013 and made his first public appearance a day later, when his parents stood on the hospital steps in front of a huge crowd of photographers and camera crews.