Earlier on Friday, the official social media account of the Royal Family released a throwback photo of King Charles holding a baby Prince William.

Fans were quick to comment on the new Wales picture and were delighted to see another picture of the young family so soon after Kensington Palace released a similar image to mark Father’s Day last Sunday.

Commenting on the new birthday photo, one fan wrote: “Much love to you all today. Thank you for sharing this happiness with us. Happy Birthday, William.”

Another said: “Happy birthday Prince William and you can see there is so much love and happiness in his family. We can see that The Prince of Wales is a fun dad.”

A third wrote: “Happy birthday, William! I absolutely love how that photo turned out! Fantastic timing and lighting!”

The Father’s Day image showed Wiliam on the beach with his three children. They were all admiring the Norfolk coastline with their arms wrapped around each other.

The post also featured a message for William from the children, which read: “We love you, Papa. Happy Father’s Day [pink-heart emoji] G, C & L.”

It marked the first time George, Charlotte and Louis have ever shared a message on their parents’ social media platforms.