Prince William and Kate Middleton delayed telling their eldest son, Prince George, 12, of his future as the United Kingdom's king as long as possible. A royal author reveals that the couple took this stance to ensure George had a "normal childhood."
PEOPLE Magazine spoke to royal author, historian, and consultant to the Netflix series The Crown, Robert Lacey, for a cover story about the young prince. Lacey says William and Kate's decision ensured George’s future royal responsibilities wouldn't interfere with his childhood.
"He really has had a period of a normal childhood," Lacey told the publication. The author added, "William deliberately delayed this news until the last possible moment. It shows special care and thoughtfulness — it also tells us something about how William felt about the weight of the crown."
The Prince of Wales can pass his unique insights into the monarchy on to his oldest son. However, Lacey imagines that William is careful in how he explains George's future leadership position.
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"I imagine that when William talks to George about things like this, he uses words like 'destiny' rather than ‘duty.’ ‘Duty’ has a sense of being trapped; ‘destiny’ has a sense of choice," Lacey explains.
William and Kate's parenting choice was likely shaped by the prince's own childhood, where he understood his destiny as a future king. In a 2016 interview with the BBC, William acknowledged that this sense of responsibility can be difficult to navigate.
"It's about finding your own way at the right time. And if you're not careful, duty can sort of weigh you down an awful lot at a very early age, and I think you've got to develop into the duty role."
William's role as heir apparent was set early on. He and his brother, Prince Harry, were known as the "heir and spare" by their father, King Charles. The BBC reported that Harry wrote in his book Spare that when he was born, the monarch told his wife, Princess Diana, "Wonderful. You have given me an heir and a spare. You have done your job."
William and Kate continue to ease George into a more prominent royal role. He has been more visible in recent years, attending official events with his parents as they slowly introduce him to more responsibilities.
However, the couple is ensuring that all of their children, including George's siblings Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, have not only a sense of duty to the crown, but also the chance to have a normal childhood. This was evidenced by the family's move to Adelaide Cottage on the Windsor estate in 2022, reported TODAY, and plans to move to Forest Lodge later this year. The move was to be closer to their children's schools and to give the kids a sense of a more normal childhood outside of Buckingham Palace.
Prince George is second in line to the throne. His grandfather, King Charles, ascended in 2022 upon Queen Elizabeth's death. William, his father, is next to succeed.
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