The Prince and Princess of Wales have an important decision to make during the summer holidays regarding their eldest son Prince George.
Prince William and Kate have an important decision to make regarding their eldest son Prince George(Image: Jonathan Brady – Pool/Getty Images))
The summer holidays will offer the Princess of Wales a valuable opportunity to spend precious time with her family before her three children begin a new school year. This summer in particular, will be one Kate is likely to cherish with significant milestones approaching – especially for Prince George.
Kate and Prince William’s eldest son turns 12 on July 22, and when he returns to school in September, it will mark his final year at Lambrook School, where he currently studies alongside his younger siblings, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. George is set to move on to secondary education the following year.
As he approaches his teenage years, George – second in line to the throne – has been making more public appearances, each time under the watchful and supportive eye of his mum, Kate, the Mirror reports.
As Prince George turns 12 and with the prospect of starting a new school next year, he is reaching an age where “the reality of his destiny has begun to hit home” according to former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond.
Speaking to the Mirror, Jennie explained: “He tends to look rather serious when he’s ‘on parade’ these days. Charlotte looks demure, Louis looks impish, but George sometimes looks rather preoccupied to me. And who can blame him? It is an extraordinary prospect to know that one day you will be taking on the huge role that you are now watching your grandfather perform.”
“But he’s not, by any means, always a serious little chap. When he’s with his dad at a football match, or fooling around with his siblings and his father, he has a wonderful smile on his face, and seems happy and relaxed.”
In May, George took part in his most significant royal role to date during the 80th anniversary commemorations of VE Day. He joined Charlotte and Louis to watch a military parade and appeared alongside them on the Buckingham Palace balcony for the RAF flypast.
George laughs with mum Kate(Image: PA)
A notable milestone in his royal life came when he joined his parents chatting to Second World War heroes at a Buckingham Palace tea party. He listened to their important stories and asked questions about their experiences. He was gently guided through the event by his mother, Kate, who encouraged him to speak to the former servicemen and women, helping him feel at ease.
Veterans who met Prince George at the event praised the young royal for his curiosity and thoughtful questions about their wartime experiences.
Just weeks later, George joined his grandfather, King Charles, for the annual Trooping the Colour celebration, riding in a carriage and once again taking his place on the Buckingham Palace balcony for another spectacular RAF flypast.
Fortunately, George isn’t navigating this journey alone. As he approaches his teenage years, he is being closely supported by his parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales. Despite his growing public role, Kate and William remain committed to giving George and his siblings as normal a childhood as possible.
The Prince and Princess of Wales with eldest son Prince George (Image: Getty Images)
This includes focusing on his education, enjoying everyday activities like attending Aston Villa matches with his father, and only making appearances at key royal events. It’s a stark contrast to William’s own teenage years, which were marked by time divided between his separated parents and life at boarding school.
Tragically, William and his brother, Prince Harry, were just 15 and 12 when they lost their mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, following a car crash in Paris in 1997.
However, nobody knows more about how important a child’s early years are in shaping their later lives than Kate — something she has, no doubt, put into practice with her own children.
Jennie continues: “I think George’s close and loving relationship with his parents will prove invaluable as he continues to grow up. Catherine is now such an expert on how children develop and the emotions they go through: her support and advice for George will continue to be a key factor in his wellbeing.”
One royal figure who Jennie believes set a powerful example for raising a future king is the mother-in-law Kate never met – Diana. Diana’s hands on approach to parenting broke royal tradition as she made it a priority to expose William and Harry to life beyond palace gates, while still ensuring they both had an understanding of their royal responsibilities.
Prince George and his family during Trooping The Colour 2025(Image: Mark Cuthbert/Getty Images)
She famously took them to McDonald’s, had them queue like everyone else at theme parts and visited homeless shelters with them to give her sons a glimpse of life outside the royal bubble.
Those childhood experiences clearly left a lasting impression on William, who has publicly expressed his ambition to end homelessness and reaveled he would be open to taking George to meet those who are experiencing homelessness.
Jenni believes Diana’s parenting style, as well as allowing her children to be normal boys, has undoubtedly influenced William and in turn how Kate has taken to raising George. She stated: “I think William has drawn on the openly loving and tactile relationship he had with his mother to help him bring up his own children.”
“He will remember how Diana insisted that her boys should know more about the real world than royal princes before them. She made them aware of having play days and work days. On play days they could wear jeans, eat burgers and enjoy go-karting. On work days they had to dress and behave as princes of the realm.”
“I think William has made sure that his own children have as many play days as possible, but he and Catherine have also gradually introduced them to the formal world of being royal.”
Speculation over which secondary school Prince George will attend is expected to intensify in the coming weeks. According to Jennie, the decision is likely to be a difficult one for William and Kate, who will also need to weigh what’s best for Charlotte and Louis in the long run.
She says: “For so many youngsters, teenage years can be hard, but for a prince, everything is a whole lot harder. First and foremost, the school has to be able to offer or accommodate 24/7 protection. Then there is the impact on other pupils because, like it or not, George will always be different.”
“I suppose Eton remains high on the list — for William the school was a haven at a very, very difficult time in his life following his mother‘s death — but Marlborough College is definitely another contender.”
“Catherine enjoyed her years there, especially the sports facilities, and a big plus must be that it is co-educational, so the other two children could join George there.”
Both schools have an impressive list of former students. Prince Harry also attended Eton, with prime ministers such as David Cameron and Boris Johnston and actors Eddie Redmayne and Tom Hiddleston.
Marlborough College, on the other hand, has educated the likes of Princess Eugenie, comedian Jack Whitehall, and Samantha Cameron, wife of David Cameron.
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“Personally, I would like to see the siblings at the same school because I think they would be a great comfort to one another during these tricky years,” says Jennie.
“I would also like to see them at a day school, or as weekly boarders, so that they could still enjoy the lovely, cosy home environment that William and Catherine have worked so hard to create for them.”
She stresses. “William was given a good deal of privacy at Eton, especially after Diana’s death. And I think he will do everything possible to make sure that George and the others are able to negotiate this important growing up stage of their lives without worrying that cameras are around every corner.”
But it’s clear that when it comes to the big decision, Kate will no doubt put what’s best for George first — with Jennie saying he couldn’t be more prepared for his future, thanks to his mother and father.
Jennie continues: “I think George is pretty lucky to have these two as his parents. And if Catherine needs advice, then I think the best person she can turn to is her husband — who is living out the very same destiny himself.”