Parents know that they will have to navigate some pretty difficult conversations with their children - but for Prince William and Kate Middleton, that has included telling Prince George that he will one day be the King of England.
We've all had to deal with some major shocks in life, but it’s hard to imagine being told that you’re in line for the throne.
The royal parents clearly go to great lengths to ensure their children can enjoy their childhoods despite their bloodline.
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Just recently, nine-year-old Princess Charlotte was snapped meeting Taylor Swift during her Eras tour, and 10-year-old Prince George was seen watching the Euros final between Spain and England on 14 July - exclaiming "oh my gosh!" when Spain became champions.
With Prince William next in line for the crown, it will be his first born son, George, who ascends afterwards.
And it’s emerged that Prince George is already aware of his future fate.
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Royal biographer Robert Lacey revealed in his book Battle of Brothers, published in 2021, that Kate and William wasted no time breaking the news.
He wrote: “William has not revealed to the world how and when he broke the big news to his son. Maybe one day George will tell us the story himself.
"But sometime around the boy's seventh birthday in the summer of 2020 it is thought that his parents went into more detail about what the little prince's life of future royal 'service and duty' would particularly involve.”
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He continued: “William's aim as a father, the prince stressed, was to give his son 'a normal family upbringing', enabling the monarchy 'to stay relevant and keep up with modern times'.”
And if you’re interested in a bit of royal goss, Lacey added that William’s decision to tell his son the big news in a controlled manner was spurred on by his own 'unhappiness at the haphazard fashion in which the whole business of his royal destiny had buzzed around his head from the start'.
Before the Queen’s passing in 2022, the young prince had been photographed in 2019 beside her, the now King Charles and Prince William.
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Lacey added: “What a fascinating and historic image to remind us of the essence of the royal system! The current monarch with three future monarchs. All the living heirs - and not a suggestion of a ‘spare’.”
As for how George behaves knowing that one day he will be King, royal expert Katie Nicholl told OK Magazine: “George is an absolute pleasure to be around and that’s down to his parents.”
She added: “They’re not raising him to be spoilt or to have an inflated sense of his own importance. He doesn’t get special treatment just because he’s the future heir. They make a point of ensuring their three children feel equal and that they’re all treated the same.”
Topics: Royal Family, Prince George, Prince William, Kate Middleton
Kya Buller