Prince George is turning nine! A new photo of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s eldest child was released on Thursday to mark his upcoming ninth birthday.

The Prince, who turns nine on July 22, was photographed by his mother on a beach. George flashed a bright smile at the camera, while wearing a sky blue polo.

©The Duchess of Cambridge

Alongside the photo, William and Kate’s social media accounts wrote: “George is turning 9! 🎂🎈.”

The image was taken earlier this month during a family holiday in the UK. Social media users were quick to point out George’s resemblance to his father. “Oh my goodness!! Thats William!!!” one tweeted. Another wrote, “Happy birthday little Prince Absolute spitting image of William.”

Kate has a sweet tradition when it comes to her kids’ birthdays. On A Berry Royal Christmas back in 2019, the Duchess revealed that she bakes a cake for her children’s birthdays. “I love making the cake,” she shared. “It’s become a bit of a tradition that I stay up ‘til midnight with ridiculous amounts of cake mix and icing and I make far too much. But I love it.”