To commemorate his impending first birthday, People magazine has featured the young royal on the cover of the latest issue, however the image appears to have been retouched making his eyes whiter and his hair and eyebrows smoother.

“People did not alter the looks of Prince George on our cover in any way. Some areas may have picked up saturation during the press run, further enhanced by the glossy paper quality,” a representative told the Daily Mail.

The photo was taken on a blustery day as the young royals arrived in New Zealand for their three-week Australasia tour.

Like father, like son though as this is the second time in a week the royal family have been caught up in Photoshop dramas. Vanity Fair has been accused of adding hair to Prince William’s balding head for the cover image of the August issue.

The shot, taken while William, Kate and George toured Taronga Zoo’s bilby enclosure in April, was reportedly given a “poster-like palette” but the magazine denied adding more hair to the heir’s head.

“We added some shadow to Prince William to make the white type more legible, and to place more emphasis on Prince George,” a spokesperson told E! News.

This latest brouhaha follows claims US Weekly altered a photo of George, also taken during the Taronga Zoo visit, for a cover in May.

“They enhance gorgeous George with emerald green eyes, rosier cheeks and stronger strawberry-blonde-tinged hair and brows ... The already adorable prince appears in multiple photos inside with darker brown eyes and paler cheeks,” Page Six reported.

US Weekly dismissed suggestions it had altered George's cheeks, saying the cover shot was lightened to ensure it was suitable to be printed.