Prince George becomes a teenager today, celebrating his 13th birthday. The second in line to the throne stands just a few inches shy of his mother, the Princess of Wales, and is heading to Eton in September.
Preparing for Eton
In the lead-up to the announcement of his enrolment at one of England's most prestigious colleges, there was intense interest in where he would go. Eton won, with the close proximity to the family home being a deciding factor. He can pop home at the weekend, only a stone's throw away from normality.
George is understood to be "greatly excited" for the change, according to a friend of the family, with his father talking him through what to expect. To ease the transition, he already started spending several nights a week boarding.
The phone question
As the Wales family enjoy the summer holidays together, the young prince will undoubtedly be asking the question all parents dread: can I have a phone? So far, William and Catherine have prohibited their children from having phones. But with George heading to a new school and spending time away from the family, his parents are expected to relent. As his father has said before, this will likely be an old school "brick" with no access to social media.
Fellow students will be warned against taking photos or leaking information about their famous classmate, with William keeping a close eye as he expects his son to get the same treatment he and his brother received when they attended Eton.
A future king in training
William and Catherine have brought George up in the knowledge of his future role as King George VII, but have sought to do so differently from Grandpa Charles. In recent years, he has joined his parents at a tea party for war veterans and attended the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall. This will only increase in the coming years.
The Prince and Princess are mindful that George's path is different to his siblings, but they are keen to ensure Charlotte and Louis find their own roles within the institution. They are mindful to keep the siblings tight-knit, aware of the damage any fallouts may cause if a repeat of the brotherly rivalry of William and Harry occurs.
