\n<\/p>\n
For a long time, Prince George<\/a> had no idea he\u2019d one day be a king.<\/p>\n \u201cAs far as we are concerned within our family unit, we are a normal family,\u201d Prince William<\/strong><\/a> explained of his and Princess Kate\u2019s<\/strong><\/a> decision not to tell their first-born, who was still a toddler at the time, about his destiny too early. \u201cThere will be a time and a place to bring George up and understand how he fits in in the world. But right now, it\u2019s just a case of keeping a secure, stable environment around him and showing as much love as I can as a father.\u201d\n<\/p>\n William, 41, and Kate, 42 have done their best to stick to that plan. However, with the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, as well as King Charles III\u2019s<\/strong> and Kate\u2019s cancer diagnoses this year, they\u2019ve had to begin having some important conversations with George.<\/p>\n \u201cThe family\u2019s been through a lot of changes lately, and it\u2019s naturally led to conversations about George\u2019s future duties. They\u2019re helping him comprehend the situation better,\u201d a royals source exclusively explained to Life & Style<\/em>, confirming that William and Kate have sat the 10-year-old down to talk about succession and \u201cwhat is and will be expected of him. It\u2019s a daunting prospect, but George is a smart boy. He understands that one day he will be king.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s been a delicate balance.<\/p>\n \u201cWilliam is torn,\u201d says the source. \u201cHe\u2019s beginning to prepare George, but he still wants his son to have as carefree a childhood as he can \u2014 like his mother, [the late Princess] Diana, allowed him to do.\u201d<\/p>\n Thankfully, adds the source, \u201cKate\u2019s great at knowing how to let George be a kid\u201d alongside his siblings, the \u201cspares\u201d \u2014 Princess Charlotte, who turns 9 in May, and Prince Louis<\/a>, who turns 6 in April. \u201cHe isn\u2019t treated any differently around their house.\u201d<\/p>\n Though William once famously called baby George \u201ca right little rascal sometimes,\u201d his \u201csweet boy\u201d has been growing up nicely. A few years ago, he began guitar lessons, Kate revealed, and he \u201cwas straight in there,\u201d William proudly said, when the opportunity to help deliver lambs on a farm near their country home, Amner Hall, emerged a few years back.<\/p>\n These days, he\u2019s enthralled by sports: He\u2019s attended championship soccer, rugby and tennis games, and last fall \u201c[William] was telling me how George has been doing a triathlon at school,\u201d retired world triathlon champion Non Stanford revealed.<\/p>\n \u201cThey are growing and trying out different sports,\u201d Kate confirmed in 2023 of all three of her children. \u201cIt\u2019s going to be interesting to see how that grows and develops.\u201d<\/p>\n George is also learning many of the skills he\u2019ll need to be a working senior royal someday<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cHe already has great manners and knows the proper protocol while in public with dignitaries,\u201d says the source. \u201cBut George doesn\u2019t like all the traditional rules \u2014 he hates the bowing and formality. He rolls his eyes and thinks it\u2019s quite silly. Yet he doesn\u2019t complain.\u201d<\/p>\n Even amid her health crisis<\/a>, Kate and William have been helping George balance school with the extra lessons he\u2019s starting to need. And it\u2019s made them more grateful than ever that they bucked royal tradition and kept their little boy close.<\/p>\n King Charles III sent both of his sons, William and Prince Harry<\/strong> away to boarding school when they were just eight. In 2022, the Prince and Princess of Wales instead enrolled their kids at the $30,000-a-year coed Lambrook School<\/a>, near their new home on the Windsor Castle estate.<\/p>\n \u201cKate\u2019s always wanted them to have more of a normal upbringing than William did,\u201d an insider previously told Life & Style<\/em>, \u201cand didn\u2019t necessarily want them to follow every royal tradition.\u201d<\/p>\n Kate knows the clock is ticking, though.<\/p>\n \u201cIn a few short years, George\u2019s life is going to drastically change\u201d as he takes on more responsibilities, says the insider, and \u201cKate thinks he should be out having fun, not living away from his family\u201d \u2014 at least until he\u2019s older.<\/p>\n For now, says the first source, \u201cGeorge is really just a regular kid \u2026 who just so happens to be second in line to the throne.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nKate and William Are Easing George In<\/h2>\n
Prince George Is Learning the Ropes<\/h2>\n
Royal Duty Requirements Are Creeping Up for Prince George<\/h2>\n