Prince George

Prince George

Britain's Prince George has turned one today (22.07.14)

The adorable offspring of Prince William and Duchess Catherine is celebrating his first birthday with a party held on the grounds of Kensington Palace in his honour.

Catherine, 32, is expected to bake a cake for the tot herself and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have invited his great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth to celebrate the big day with them.

In a statement issued on the eve of George's birthday, William, 32, and Catherine said: "We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone over the last year, wherever we have met them, for their warm and generous good wishes."

To mark the cherubic prince's first birthday, two new official pictures have been released of George looking rather "fascinated" by a butterfly display at London's Natural History Museum.

In one snap, the chubby-cheeked tot is seen in the arms of his mother, reaching out to a butterfly as his father looks on. In a second snap, George is seen cautiously reaching out to a butterfly resting on dad William's hand.

The pictures were taken by royal photographer John Sitwell.

He said: "He was fascinated to see them fly but a little scared when they got a bit close to him."