Prince Harry once dreamed of teaching Prince George everything from rugby to cricket and helping him navigate life in the Royal Family, but many of those hopes have now slipped away as the young prince grows up.
The Duke of Sussex has lived in California since stepping back from royal duties in 2020, meaning he has spent much of Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis' childhood away from the UK.
Harry's hopes in 'Spare'
In his memoir Spare, Harry wrote warmly about becoming an uncle when Prince George was born in 2013, revealing how excited he was to play a bigger role in his nephew's life. He described George as his "beautiful" nephew and admitted he could not wait to share some of his favourite passions with him.
"I couldn't wait to teach him about rugby and Rorke's Drift, flying and corridor cricket – and maybe give him a few pointers about how to survive life in the fishbowl," Harry wrote.
George's development without Harry
Prince George, who recently celebrated his 13th birthday, has already developed a love of cricket. A birthday video released this year showed the young royal confidently batting on a beach during the Wales family's Easter holiday in Cornwall.
Harry's hopes of introducing George to rugby have also been overtaken by events. The future king has attended several rugby matches with the Prince and Princess of Wales and is understood to play the sport at school as well as at home.
Earlier this year, the Princess of Wales joked about her eldest son's growing strength, saying: "I do not want to get tackled by him!"
Distance and rift limit contact
In Spare, Harry also recalled looking forward to being a hands-on uncle while living at Nottingham Cottage, close to Prince William and Princess Catherine at Kensington Palace. He wrote that he imagined regularly dropping by with "a bottle of wine and an armful of kiddie presents" before "dropping to the floor and wrestling with little George".
Although Harry may have enjoyed some of those moments before moving abroad, the family's relocation to the United States has made regular visits far more difficult. The continuing rift between Harry and Prince William has also fuelled speculation that opportunities for the brothers' families to spend time together remain limited.
While Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, recently met King Charles and Queen Camilla during a visit to the UK and are thought to have travelled to Princess Diana's family home, there was no indication they reunited with William, Catherine or their children.
Mike Tindall fills the gap
Prince George is said to have developed a close relationship with Mike Tindall, the husband of Zara Tindall. Body language expert Judi James previously claimed Mike has "more than filled" the "Harry-shaped gap" in George's life. Speaking to The Sun's Fabulous magazine, she said: "Mike is the fun uncle everyone needs, but in the case of Prince George, whose destiny is all about duty and responsible behaviour, Mike's presence in his life is completely invaluable."
