Prince George turns 12 and is preparing for one year of great changes. Between sports passions, cheering for Alcaraz and the imminent entry to Eton, the eldest son of William and Kate gets closer to his future as a sovereign
On July 22, at the Edelaide Cottage – the residence of the principles of Wales in Windsor – a special birthday is celebrated: Prince George turns 12. The firstborn of William and Kate, second in succession to the British throne, George Alexander Louis bears a name full of history: George was one of the names favored by the bookmakers at the time of his birth, and not surprisingly he was chosen in honor of his trisavavolo, Giorgio VI, father of Queen Elizabeth II. Still, the name of the Principino could have been another: In fact, it is said that the spouses Wales had initially thought of “Alexander”a name that Kate “wanted ardently”.
Timid and reserved, George has grown in the spotlight since birth. Each public appearance is observed and analyzed by the subjects and the Royal Watcher. The parents, however, have always been careful to protect the privacy of their three children – George, Charlotte and Louis – trying to guarantee them as normal childhood, despite the weight of the crown that looms.
This attention, however, did not prevent George from developing a certain discomfort towards official events. More and more shy, sometimes it appears even haughty, as it seemed during his last public appearance in Wimbledon. There, in the company of mom Kate, dad William and sister Charlotte, he witnessed the Final between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. Despite the enthusiasm of the public for Italian, George did not hide the disappointment: his cheering was all for Alcaraz.
The moment has become viral. George and Charlotte were resumed while reacting, visibly opposed, to the defeat of their darling. Both are great tennis fans, a passion probably inherited from the mother, patron of the All England Lawn and Tennis Cluborganizer of the famous London tournament.
But tennis is not the only sport that makes the heart of the young prince beat. In April, George was seen at Villa Park while He was shaking for the Aston Villa against Paris Saint-Germain. By imitating William’s nerve expressions, he skipped several times during the meeting, even wearing a team scarf like his father. A moment of great complicity between father and son, which William commented on: “I would like George to spend an evening away from home by participating in a great European competition. I think it’s really important to create those memories.”
George’s twelfth birthday also marks an important change on an institutional level: from this moment, a historic rule of the monarchy officially enters into force for him. According to the protocol, in fact, two heirs to the throne can no longer travel together when they carry out official positionsfor security reasons. William, at his age, was also subject to this same rule.
Despite his young age, George has already experienced his official baptism in the Royal world: At just nine months he took part in the tour in Australia and New Zealand with his parents in 2014. Appeared publicly only twice during that trip, it was still defined “The star of the show”.
But the real turning point for the young prince will arrive next autumn. William and Kate are carefully choosing the school that George will have to attend to prepare for the role that one day awaits him. The debate at Wales was turned on: Kate would have preferred Marlborough Collegethe school where he studied and who helped her overcome a childhood marked by bullying. William, on the other hand, pushed Eton Collegehistoric institute reserved for British elite and frequented by the Prince himself. And, according to what reported by Daily Mailit seems that Eton prevailed in the end.
Currently, George studies together with Charlotte and Louis at Lambrook School, Windsoran educational excellence immersed in the English campaign. But from September, a new adventure will begin for him: a more demanding and formative path, which could lead him – like his father – towards the university and/or a military career. William, before becoming a helmet pilot, attended the ST andrews university in Scotlandwhere he met Kate in the early 2000s.
Who knows if even for George the future will reserve similar moments … For now, however, you just have to enjoy the summer with the family, before an autumn that will mark – even if in a silent way – the beginning of his path to the crown.
