Prince George's huge life change as he turns 12 and Prince William makes tough decision
Prince George is celebrating his 12th birthday today and this milestone means that big changes could be on the horizon for the future King, who is second-in-line to the throne.
When the summer holidays are over and he returns to school in September, it will be George's last year at Lambrook alongside his younger siblings Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, before he heads off to secondary education, writes The Mirror.
Prince George has recently been making more public appearances as he edges closer to his teenage years, including at Wimbledon earlier this month, and at each one, his parents Prince William and Kate Middleton are gently guiding him.
And as he turns 12 today, as well as the prospect of joining a new school next year, George is of an age when "the reality of his destiny has begun to hit home", according to former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond.
Jennie tells the Mirror: "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."
Back in May, the young prince went on his most high profile royal outing to date when he attended commemorations to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day. Alongside his siblings Charlotte and Louis, he chatted with veterans and watched a military parade and made an appearance on the Buckingham Palace balcony for the RAF flypast.
Prince George also joined his parents in chatting to Second World War heroes at a Buckingham Palace tea party. He listened intently to their important stories and asked questions about their experiences, which is a huge step in his royal life.
Last month, George also joined his grandfather, King Charles, for Trooping the Colour, riding in a carriage and, once again, appearing on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for another impressive RAF flypast.
Of course, George doesn't have to walk this path alone, with Kate and William with him every step of the way as he approaches his teenage years. Even though his public profile will only increase, George's parents are determined for him and his siblings to have as normal an upbringing as possible.
This means completing his education like any other young boy, attending football matches with William to watch their beloved Aston Villa, and only appearing at the most prestigious of royal events.
Jennie believes that William's mother Diana's approach to parenting, as well as allowing her children to be normal boys, will have no doubt been an influence on William — and, in turn, Kate — regarding how to raise George and their other two children. She adds: "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.
"However, there is plenty of time to get him used to the idea that his will be a very public role for the rest of his life. I'm sure we'll see him from time to time, especially with all the emotional turmoil he must have been through in the past 18 months with his mother's illness, he deserves to enjoy what's left of his childhood away from the public gaze as much as possible."
The coming weeks are likely to see speculation ramp up about which secondary school George will attend, and Jennie believes it will be a tough decision for William and Kate, who will be considering what is best for Charlotte and Louis as well.
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