Prince George marked a special milestone moment with his father Prince William as the royal family celebrated their annual Christmas festivities at Sandringham.

The young prince, who is following in the footsteps of his ‘role model’ dad, was included in a beloved tradition for the first time, replacing his uncle Prince Harry.

Before the Christmas Walk took place on Wednesday, the father-and-son duo played together in the same team for the pre-Christmas football match alongside Sandringham estate workers and nearby villagers.

Meanwhile, Kate Middleton, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis cheered on for the team from the sidelines.

“It just looked like healthy father-and-son bonding time,” an insider told The Sun. “There were other children playing and it was all good fun and light-hearted.”

The source noted that it was “nice that they have returned to take part in the traditional game as they haven’t done so for years.”

However, the insider also pointed that it was “interesting” that Prince Harry “has now been substituted for Prince George.”

Prince William and Prince George have a mutual love for football. Previously, the pair has watched football matches together and they even left onlookers in awe with their spontaneous, yet identical reactions to critical moments during the match.

Meanwhile, Prince Harry was also an avid participant in the Sandringham football match until 2018, which was the last time he celebrated Christmas with the royals.

It appears that the tradition was revived in a bid to move on with the Duke of Sussex as the royal rift between Harry and William rages on.