( CNN ) -- Britain 's Prince George is now safely back home and tucked-up behind palace walls after taking his first tentative steps into a lifetime of public duties . In the end , he only officially appeared twice during the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge 's tour of New Zealand and Australia . First , at a play date in Wellington , then at Taronga Zoo in Sydney , but we also caught glimpses of him getting on and off planes . So what did we learn about this little monarch-in-waiting ? Well for a start , he is n't little . The other babies invited to the play date were all born within a few weeks of George and he was by far the biggest , and he 's quick . `` Very strong , very mobile , very happy , very active , '' said Peter Howe , who was one of the parents invited to the event . Another described the prince as `` intrepid . '' Gorgeous George . The world could n't resist those chubby cheeks and social media was awash with the pictures with the word `` cute . '' The British photographer who captured the images was James Whatling , also part of the close-up team at the zoo where George met a bilby . `` You could tell he 's more playful at the bilby event , '' said Whatling . `` He 's not afraid . He 's very happy to play . He 's obviously at the cruising stage . He pulled himself up at the bilby enclosure , just to get a closer look and to try and stroke him . He looks strong , and I ca n't believe it will be very long until he starts to walk . '' This is exactly the age when I remember my babies starting to transform and I could see that in George over the course of the three-week tour as well . If I compare the boy arriving in Wellington and to the one leaving the tour in Canberra , his `` Mohican '' hairstyle was more pronounced and he looked older . Whatling , who was next to me at both airports , said : `` He 's transformed from a baby to a toddler in the course of a royal tour . '' Grumpy George ? Newspapers and websites have been having fun with some of George 's faces . So is he really grumpy ? `` No , '' says Whatling . `` He 's got lovely chubby cheeks and he 's full of expression . He 's obviously teething and that 'll make any toddler a little fractious . '' Toddler George . So when the royals waved goodbye to Australia , we also waved goodbye to `` Baby George . '' The next time we see him , it 'll be the all new `` Toddler George '' -- and I bet he wo n't be hanging around for long . READ MORE : `` Kate Effect : '' Australia feels force of fashion . READ MORE : Three pivotal pictures from the royal tour .
British royals return after a three - month tour of Australia and New Zealand . Prince George appeared officially only twice during 2007 but was a big hit Down Under . CNN 's Bob Foster says we ' ve seen the last of Baby George .