Millions of people worldwide, including the royal family, dearly miss the late Queen Elizabeth this holiday season. This Christmas marks the first holiday season without her presence, and even though they will find joy spending time with family and watching Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis open their presents, it will be an emotional time.
As Prince George now stands second in line for the throne, he is beginning to understand and learn about his future role and duties as a royal. Though he still has many years before becoming king or officially working as a royal, he is already being surrounded by loving parents, grandparents, and siblings.
However, the young prince had a particularly special relationship with the late Queen Elizabeth, who even gave him secret gifts during his stays at Buckingham Palace. One of the most heartwarming and loving moments between them was captured during Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee.
It is a fact that Prince George and the rest of the royal children will never have a normal life. William and Kate’s three children are set to be working royals when they grow up, and George is, someday, most likely going to be King. He is being groomed for the role and the responsibilities that come with it. They will have to live their life in the public eye and uphold the traditions and customs of the monarchy.
Prince Charles:
Even though the royal children have access to everything and are taken care of by nannies, William and Kate have made an effort to give them as normal a childhood as possible. In August, the family moved into Adelaide Cottage on the Windsor grounds, which also meant a change of schools for the three children. Now, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis attend Lambrook School in Windsor.
For Prince George, making friends hasn’t been a problem. According to author and Vanity fair royal correspondent Katie Nicholl, he has already made sure his classmates know who he really is. In her book, The New Royals, Nicholl explained that George already understands the monarchy and his family’s role.
At school, George has reportedly warned his classmates to “watch out,” as his father is the heir to the throne. “They are raising their children, particularly Prince George, with an awareness of who he is and the role he will inherit, but they are keen not to weigh them down with a sense of duty,” Nicholl wrote, per Express.
While some students live on campus, George, Charlotte, and Louis will attend classes during the day and head back home in the afternoon. This way, they could have a balance between normalcy and their royal duties, as they are being raised with an awareness of their future roles.
“George understands he will one day be king and as a little boy sparred with friends at school, outdoing his peers with the killer line: ‘My dad will be king, so you better watch out.” As future king, it is crucial for Prince George to be prepared for his role in the monarchy.
How William & Kate prepare George for royal life?
William and Kate have already started to inform him about what the future holds. According to royal historian Robert Lacey, around the time of George’s seventh birthday, in the summer of 2020, his parents went into more detail about what his life of future royal ‘service and duty’ would particularly involve.
“William has not revealed to the world how and when he broke the big news to his son,” Lacey wrote in his book, Battle of Brothers. It’s expected that George will begin working full-time as a royal by age 35, or even sooner, so it’s important for him to be prepared.
Even though Prince George didn’t get to spend much time with his great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth before she passed away, the two shared a special relationship. Both of them had great sense of humor and would have made a great duo.
Prince George was born on July 22, 2013, at St Mary’s Hospital in London. His birth marked the next generation of the heir to the throne and generated a lot of interest from the public. William and Kate have done their best to give him as normal a childhood as possible, but they also want to make sure he is prepared for his future role as king.
Prince George’s relationship with Queen Elizabeth
When Prince George was born, he did not have a name yet. Queen Elizabeth, who was “thrilled” to welcome her first great-grandson, made sure to visit him just two days later at Kensington Palace to see her great-grandchild for the first time. During her visit, she likely discussed possible names with William and Kate.
“We’ve still got to decide on a name,” William told reporters as the family left the hospital. “We’ll let you know as soon as we can.” Alexander and James were also popular choices at the time.
Over the years, Queen Elizabeth and George formed a strong bond. They shared similar personalities, as the Queen was said to be shy, much like George. According to The Sun, this relatable trait helped them connect with each other.
Queen Elizabeth spent a lot of time with George and watched him grow up. She was present for many milestone moments in his life, and the two of them enjoyed a lovely relationship. Even though Queen Elizabeth is no longer with us, the memories of their bond will always remain.
Not only did they share a similar personality trait of shyness, but as George grew up, Queen Elizabeth was able to assist him in overcoming it. This will be beneficial for him in the long run as he takes on the role of King in the future.
Queen Elizabeth not only understood what it was like to be shy, but also had many valuable lessons to teach the young Prince George, especially about life in the spotlight. Like Prince George, Elizabeth was once third in the line of succession, and therefore had great expectations placed on her as she grew up, which George could relate to.
George had a nickname for Queen Elizabeth
As William and Kate met with the Queen several times a week, George got to spend quality time with her. In her first solo interview, Kate Middleton spoke about how the Queen and George got along and revealed his sweet nickname for his great-grandmother.
“George is only two-and-a-half, and he calls her ‘Gan-Gan.’ She always leaves a little gift or something in their room when we go and stay, which just shows her love for her family,” Kate said. She also added that the Queen greatly supported her and provided a gentle guidance throughout her journey.
Prince George not only received presents when Queen Elizabeth visited their then-home at Kensington Palace, but also when she stayed over at “grandma’s house,” Buckingham Palace, he was given small gifts on his bed.
In 2022, the Queen celebrated her Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years on the throne. At the end of the Jubilee weekend, she appeared on the Buckingham Palace balcony alongside her close family, where Prince George also joined her. The celebration brought back many fond memories of their special bond.
Prince George and Queen Elizabeth’s adorable Jubilee talk
At the Platinum Jubilee celebration, three future kings, Charles, William, and young George, were present, along with Camilla Parker Bowles, Kate Middleton, and their children Charlotte and Louis. Queen Elizabeth surprised the crowds in the national mall by appearing and waving to the royal fans as they sang “God Save the Queen.”
One of the most intimate moments was when Queen Elizabeth seemed surprised and turned to George after airplanes had striped the sky red, white, and blue with smoke and told him something that made her smile. According to professional lip reader John Cassidy, she said to her grandson “Ah, brilliant! I didn’t know.” It was one of the last cute moments when the world saw them together, but one that will always be cherished.
While Prince George has been busy warning his classmates that his father will be king one day, he himself may not ever become monarch at all. The pros and cons of the monarchy have been debated in many countries for years, some argue that a royal family boosts national unity and that if they are popular, why take them away? Others claim the monarchy is obsolete and that it costs taxpayers’ money to keep it running.
Historian claims Prince George will never be king
The monarchy of the UK, one of the oldest in the world, can be traced back to the 10th century. When Queen Elizabeth passed away, a new debate about the monarchy’s right to existence once again emerged. As reported by a 2021 YouGov study, 41 percent of 18 to 24-year-olds thought there should now be an elected head of state in place of a monarch.
As mentioned, Prince George stands second in line to the throne after his father, Prince William. However, the little prince’s dream of becoming king one day might remain just a dream. Last year, author and historian Hilary Mantel spoke with The Times and described how she believed that George would never take the throne. According to the historian, who passed away in 2022, Prince William will be the last ever king. She predicted that the line of succession will end there.
When asked about her prediction of Prince George never becoming king, Hilary Mantel, a Booker prize-winning author of the Wolf Hall trilogy, said “I think it’s a fair prediction, but let’s say I wouldn’t put money on it.” She went on to say that “It’s hard to understand the thinking behind the monarchy in the modern world when people are just seen as celebrities.”
Mantel also added, “I’d like us all to say less, and let them have a chance to find some resolution.”
Hilary Mantel, regarded as one of the greatest English novelists of the 20th century, passed away in 2022. It should be noted that Prince George will learn everything he needs to know to become a good monarch in the coming years. His grandfather, King Charles, had prepared his entire life for the moment he ascended the throne at age 73.
Time will tell when – or even if – George will become King one day after his father and grandfather. But, until then, he will learn all the skills he needs to become a good monarch. The Queen’s love for her family was wonderful to witness. Rest in Peace, Queen Elizabeth.
In conclusion, it is important to remember that the monarchy is a complex institution and predicting its future is a difficult task. However, Prince George is still young and has many years ahead of him to learn and grow. It is clear that he has the support of his family, and the memories of his great-grandmother will always be with him.
