Queen's 'sweet' birthday gift for Prince George at Buckingham Palace is a true royal spectacle

The Queen treated Prince George to an exciting birthday gift on Friday, celebrating the royal child turning nine with a special performance at Buckingham Palace.

• The Queen paid tribute to Prince George on his ninth birthday today with the ultimate birthday present - a personalized concert. 
• The Irish Guards Band played a rendition of 'Happy Birthday' for the eldest child of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge outside Buckingham Palace on Friday, much to the amusement of royal tourists and passing crowds.  
• In other royal news, The Crown Season 5 to explore Princess Diana's infamous Panorama interview as BBC vows 'never' to screen it again.
  

The Queen doesn't do things by halves, especially when it comes to royal children's birthdays. 

Her Majesty gave Prince George the ultimate present to celebrate the future King turning nine on Friday, ordering the Irish Guards Band to play an instrumental version of 'Happy Birthday' at Buckingham Palace for all to hear. 

Dressed in their signature red tunics and bearskin hats, the talented musicians belted out the classic tune on the doorstep of the Queen's London residence during the Changing of the Guard ceremony. The surprise performance, which lasted less than a minute, was enjoyed by passing crowds and royal tourists alike. 

A few hours earlier, the Royal Family released a ‘gorgeous’ Prince George birthday photo taken by his proud mum, Kate Middleton. In the sweet portrait, the heir to the throne is smiling widely on what appears to be a beach. The exact location wasn't disclosed, but with the photo of George clearly being a recent one, it was likely snapped on the family's summer holiday this year. 

The eldest Cambridge child has since been inundated with sweet messages from adoring fans and family members, including Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla. 

It remains unknown exactly how Prince George will celebrate his last single-digit birthday, but you can pretty much guarantee there'll be plenty of treats in store to mark the occasion. Kate Middleton's sweet gestures for Prince George's birthdays in the past have included staying up until midnight to bake a surprise cake for the whole family to enjoy - something she admittedly loves doing. 

"I love making the cake," the Duchess revealed in 2019. "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."