The Princess of Wales has released a sweet new portrait of her husband to commemorate his 42nd birthday today – along with a heartwarming message.

The fun portrait shows the heir to the throne excitedly leaping in the air with his three children as they jump. ‘Happy birthday Papa, we all love you so much!,’ the caption reads, signed off by Kate Middleton, with an ‘x’.

The family are dressed in casual clothing – with William sporting a hoodie and shorts – as they grin mid pose for the snap, taken by his wife in Norfolk last month.

William and the children appear to be enjoying a sunny day at the beach – which looks similar to the one in the backdrop of Kate’s Father’s Day photo for her husband, shared on Sunday.

On William’s right, his daughter Charlotte can be seen sporting a stripy ensemble as she lifts one arm in the air while a more timid Louis, donned in a light blue tee from Next – looks down while clutching his father’s hand. On his left, a delighted George – sporting a Navy Nike shirt – can be seen waving at the camera.

+14
View gallery

The fun portrait shows the heir to the throne leaping in the air with his three children as they jump . ‘Happy birthday Papa, we all love you so much!,’ the caption reads, signed off by his wife, Kate Middleton

‘Happy birthday Papa, we all love you so much!,’ the caption reads, signed off by his wife, Kate Middleton

+14
View gallery

A young William is pictured in an adorable black and white shot with his father, King Charles III, to celebrate his eldest son turning 42

Fans were delighted with the joyful photo of the Prince’s young family, some calling it ‘possibly the best photo they’ve seen’ of the Waleses.

Others have also dubbed the royal the ‘chillest Prince’ in the comments, as they celebrate the festivities.

‘Happy birthday, Prince William,’ one wrote. ‘Wishing you all the best and more happier times!’

‘Beautiful shoot,’ another added. ‘Happy birthday Prince William!!’

A third penned: ‘Happy birthday to the next King… This photo is adorable.’

Commenters were also full of praise for the ‘normal happy family’ pictured in the portrait.

Elsewhere, the Royal Family‘s social media earlier also wished the Prince a happy birthday with a sweet throwback snap.

In it, a young William is pictured in an adorable black and white shot with his father, King Charles III, to celebrate his eldest son turning 42.

+14
View gallery

William and the children appear to be enjoying a sunny day at the beach – which looks similar to the one in the backdrop of Kate’s Father’s Day photo for her husband on Sunday

Fans were delighted with the joyful photo of the Prince’s young family, some calling it ‘possibly the best photo they’ve seen’ of the Waleses

+14
View gallery

The Royal Family has wished the Prince of Wales a happy birthday with a sweet throwback snap on social media

+14
View gallery

The National Museum of the Royal Navy also shared a snap of the Prince, with a birthday greeting

+14
View gallery

William was seen with his mother-in-law Carole Middleton (pictured) this week on a day out at Royal Ascot, where he took to a carriage with Queen Camilla for the traditional procession along the course

+14
View gallery

Pictured: William presents winning trainer Aidan O’Brien with an award after The Prince Of Wales’s Stakes on day two of Royal Ascot 2024

The caption reads: ‘Wishing the Prince of Wales a very happy birthday!’ The little toddler grins for the camera while his dad holds onto him in the sweet image.

The National Museum of the Royal Navy also followed with a heartfelt post, praising his ‘significant stint with the Royal Navy as part of his military training completing a two-month attachment in 2008’.

‘His diverse training has been a testament to his commitment to serving his country,’ it added.

However, the festivities come the day after watching England’s disappointing Euro 2024 draw against Denmark.

William, president of the FA, was pictured alongside Denmark’s King Frederick as the two teams went head to head in Frankfurt, Germany, with the Three Lions drawing 1-1 in their second match of the tournament.

The heir to the throne has faced a challenging 12 months with both his wife the Princess of Wales and father the King diagnosed with cancer.

His birthday came amid speculation the future king supports his father’s slimmed-down approach to the monarchy and that William may not want his younger children Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis to be working royals.

Kate returned briefly to the public limelight at Trooping the Colour last weekend with William and their three children.

The Daily Mail’s Richard Eden wrote that a friend of the prince told him: ‘When the older members of the family retire, His Royal Highness won’t be inviting anyone else to become working royals.

‘It remains to be seen if he will even want his two younger children to be working royals.’

Ten-year-old Prince George is a future king, but third in line Charlotte, aged nine, and fourth in line Louis, six, are spares to the heir and, therefore, not expected to ever reign as monarch.

But in a personal message to the nation, the princess revealed although she is making good progress, she is ‘not out of the woods yet’.

Kate told how she has good days and bad days and is facing a few more months of chemotherapy treatment.

William was seen with his mother-in-law Carole Middleton this week on a day out at Royal Ascot, where he took to a carriage with Queen Camilla for the traditional procession along the course.

Prince William Arthur Philip Louis of Wales was born second in line to the throne at St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, at 9.03pm on June 21 1982.

He weighed 7lb 1 1/2oz and was the first-born son of the then-Prince and the Princess of Wales.

At just nine months old, he accompanied his parents on a six-week official visit to Australia and New Zealand, which was a break from tradition with royal babies usually left at home in the care of nannies.

+14
View gallery

Kate returned briefly to the public limelight at Trooping the Colour last weekend with William and their three children

+14
View gallery

The prince met Kate Middleton at St Andrews University in Fife, and the pair married at Westminster Abbey in 2011 after dating for more than eight years. Both pictured at Trooping the Colour last week

+14
View gallery

His birthday came amid speculation the future king supports his father’s slimmed-down approach to the monarchy and that William may not want his younger children Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis to be working royals. William, Kate and their children pictured on Christmas Day last year

His mother Diana, who separated from the then-Prince of Wales in 1992, died in a car crash in Paris in 1997.

William was just 15 and his brother Prince Harry 12, and the boys walked behind the princess’s coffin during a funeral procession through London.

The prince met Kate Middleton at St Andrews University in Fife, and the pair married at Westminster Abbey in 2011 after dating for more than eight years.

They welcomed their first child George in 2013, followed by Charlotte in 2015, and then Louis in 2018.

After the death of the late Queen in 2022, the King announced in his first historic address that he had made William and Kate the new Prince and Princess of Wales.

+14
View gallery

Prince William Arthur Philip Louis of Wales was born second in line to the throne at St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, at 9.03pm on June 21 1982. Pictured with his mother and brother Harry in 1989

+14
View gallery

His mother Diana, who separated from the then-Prince of Wales in 1992, died in a car crash in Paris in 1997. Diana, Charles and William pictured in 1982

+14
View gallery

Since his last birthday, William has launched Homewards, his five-year drive to eradicate homelessness in six locations around the UK. Pictured as a baby, with his mother

William has a long-running rift with his brother the Duke of Sussex, with no sign yet of a reconciliation.

The fallout originated ahead of Harry’s wedding to Meghan Markle, now the Duchess of Sussex, and worsened after the accusations Harry publicly levelled at his brother in his double tell-alls: his Netflix documentary and his memoir Spare.

When their joint friend the Duke of Westminster married in Chester Cathedral earlier this month, William acted as an usher, but Harry mutually agreed with the groom that he would not attend.

Since his last birthday, William has launched Homewards, his five-year drive to eradicate homelessness in six locations around the UK.

His other key focuses include raising mental health awareness, and the Earthshot Prize, his £50 million environmental competition to find solutions to help the planet.