Kate & William Prepare Prince George to Be King — He's Now a 'Confident' Boy & Knows He's 'Special,' Claims Source
The Queen's death caused a shift in the operations of the monarchy, with Prince William now becoming the first in line to the throne and his son Prince George second. The confident 9-year-old is already aware that he will become King one day, and his parents are hell-bent on preparing him for that eventuality.
Following the Queen's death on September 8, the line of succession to the throne moved forward, with King Charles, who had prepared for the role all his life, assuming the throne as the new monarch.
With his father becoming King, Prince William is now first in line to inherit the throne, followed closely by his son, Prince George. However, according to royal experts, King Charles may not be on the throne for long.
Britain's Prince William, and Britain's King Charles talk during the Illegal Wildlife Trade Conference at Lancaster House in London on February 13, 2014 | Source: Getty Images
Princess Diana's former voice coach, Stewart Pearce, says that, even though King Charles has waited a long time as heir apparent, he is likely to abdicate the throne.
Experts at University College London's Constitution Unit (UCL) seem to second the sentiments, saying King Charles might want to take the throne for at least a few years. The UCL wrote on their website, as Cosmopolitan reports:
"But it would be equally natural if, after reigning for a few years as an increasingly elderly monarch, he chose to invite parliament to hand on the throne to Prince William."
Britain's King Charles III and William, Prince of Wales attend the state funeral and burial of Britain's Queen Elizabeth, in London, Britain, September 19, 2022. | Source: Getty Images
Pearce says taking over the throne is challenging, and King Charles might not want to do it for very long. He will instead choose to hand over the throne to Prince William, who has been a part of the conversation about succession since he was 11 or 12 years old.
William understands that being the head of state is a tough job with no rulebook. Speaking to GQ Magazine, he disclosed that whatever he knows so far about it, he has learned on the job. All his life, William had the privilege of seeing his grandmother and father working and has received a lot of guidance.
Prince William, Prince of Wales during a visit to Wales on September 27, 2022 in Swansea, Wales | Source: Getty Images
Even with the speculation that King Charles might be handing over power sooner than expected, William is in no hurry to become the next King. However, he and his wife, Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, are already passing down their knowledge to their son, George.
Preparing George to Take over the Throne
For a child George's age, grasping the concept of one day becoming King is quite tricky. Thus, his parents, William and Kate, have taken it upon themselves to prepare him for his role as the next monarch after his father.
Prince George of Cambridge and Prince William during the Platinum Party At The Palace at Buckingham Palace on June 4, 2022 in London, England | Source: Getty Images
According to Royal Author Robert Lacey's book "Battle of Brothers," the parents of three wanted to bring up the subject at a "controlled moment of their choice." It remains unknown when they broke the news to little George that he would one day become King, but Lacey believes it was around George's seventh birthday in 2020.
A source told Closer Weekly that William and Kate had approached the topic in a child-like manner so George and Charlotte could understand without feeling overwhelmed.
Princess Charlotte arrives for her first day of school, with her brother Prince George and their parents on September 5, 2019 in London, England | Source: Getty Images
He added that George already knew he was exceptional as he was often singled out to spend time with his great-grandmother, the late Queen, and his grandfather, King Charles. At his age, George is already showing signs of a good leader. A source said:
"George has turned into a confident little boy and loves meeting new people."
His siblings are also not public shy. According to the source, Charlotte is a social butterfly, while Louis is equally outgoing and has a great personality.
Prince George Prince William, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis and Catherine, stand on the balcony during the Platinum Pageant on June 05, 2022 in London, England. | Source: Getty Images
While it was wise and inevitable to let their children know the responsibilities that awaited them in the future, William and Kate are adamant about raising their children as normally as possible.
William and Kate Raise Their Children Normally
Growing up a royal is challenging, primarily due to the media coverage that makes everyday life quite a task. However, William and Kate strive to give their children as regular an upbringing as possible. Daily Mail reports:
"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."
Prince George Prince William, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis and Catherine, stand on the balcony during the Trooping the Color parade on June 2, 2022 in London, England. | Source: Getty Images
Speaking to GQ, William revealed that he couldn't do his job without the stability of the family, adding that he and his wife understood how important it was for George and his siblings to grow up in a natural living environment:
"I want to bring up my children in a happy, stable, secure world, and that is so important to both of us as parents. I want George to grow up in a real, living environment. I don't want him growing up behind palace walls; he has to be out there."
To give them a normal childhood, William and Kate have let their children take on some hobbies, with George learning the piano and tennis and Charlotte taking after her big brother to understand and play the sport.
Princess Charlotte and Prince George meet performers and crew involved in the special Platinum Jubilee Celebration Concert taking place in the castle grounds on June 4, 2022 in Cardiff, United Kingdom | Source: Getty Images
And while George is learning a lot about becoming King in the future, let's not forget that at nine, he is still only a child, and his parents do not want to burden him with a sense of duty until the time is right. They still want him to experience childhood before the sense of responsibility catches up to him.
And while he is incredibly aware that he will one day sit on the throne as the head of state, George is but a child and is not afraid to act like one.
Prince George of Wales during the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey on September 19, 2022 in London, England. | Source: Getty Images
Recently, Royal Author Katie Nicholl revealed that the young Prince reportedly warned his classmates to "watch out" as his father would one day become King. George said, as Page Six reports:
"My dad will be king, so you better watch out."
Even so, prince George and his sister are undeniably well-mannered, as was evident during their great-grandmother's funeral. The two, the youngest attendees, were very well behaved, and sources seem to agree that they were on their best behavior for most of the service and send-off ceremony.