On Monday, the press office for Prince William announced that the first official family portraits of Prince George would be released at 12:00 a.m. BST Tuesday morning. However, given the choice between waiting 3 hours to see the pictures or seeing them NOW NOW NOW RIGHT NOW RIGHT FREAKIN' NOW, the world chose the latter; the photos were leaked to Twitter around 9 p.m. BST.

In one of the shots, a beautiful flowy-haired Cocker Spaniel smiles with serene vacancy, as though she has recently grasped an injured woodcock in her powerful jaws and shaken it by its feathered neck until dead. Only as the bird's lifeless body fell slack, clenched between her gleaming white teeth, did finally understand what is meant by the human term "inner peace." She's holding Prince George; Prince William and the family dog Lupo are there too.

In the second photo, the family has ditched the dog and everyone looks a little less....comfortable. Still great, though. Still very rich.

These portraits mark a departure from royal tradition, as they were taken by an amateur photographer (Kate Middleton's father Michael) in a non-royal setting. They also prominently feature a random flight attendant's daughter, which doesn't usually happen. (Because Kate Middleton is new.)

[Images via Michael Middleton/PA Photos / Landov]