HE may have a long time to wait, but there are already signs that Prince George is getting ready for his role as the future king.
Although the Prince and Princess of Wales are keen for their eldest son, 11, to enjoy his childhood for as long as possible, we’ve seen some key moments that show his regal personality.
Body language expert Judi James told Fabulous: “Thanks to William’s careful, hands-on induction of his eldest son, George has slowly evolved from a rather shy-looking small boy into a more confident, responsible and happily still joyful-looking eleven-year-old.
“He seems to be prepping for and embracing his future destiny with an impressive sense of calm.
“William has been his son’s role-model and wing-man.
“He was the stabilisers on the bike in terms of hand-holding, hair-stroking, back-patting and nudging George forward but now he is seen more frequently to step back and watch his son grow into his royal role by himself.
“We’ve recently seen four key moments that show George is prepped and ready to be king” – when the day eventually comes, that is.
1. THE PARENTAL LEAP-FROGGING
While Prince George has seemed “shy” in the past, according to Judi, he is now confident and takes charge of his responsibilities during public events.
This was evident as the prince joined his parents and siblings at Westminster Abbey and they went through plans for King Charles’ Coronation.
Royal fans spotted the adorable moment Prince George sweetly corrected Prince William as they ran through plans.
As seen in the documentary Charles III: The Coronation Year, one official asked Prince William: “You aren’t coming to the dress rehearsal?”
The future king replied: “I’m on Friday, George and I are back here on Friday.”
Prince George then chimed in: “I am here tomorrow.”
Agreeing, Prince William corrects himself saying: “You are here tomorrow.”
Judi added: “These are those moments when a child becomes old enough, smart enough and confident enough to suddenly start acting as the parent to their own father or mother.
“George was about to see his grandfather achieve his destiny and to witness first hand exactly how his own destiny would look.
“It could have been a challenging experience but George is all about the confidence here. “His chest is puffed in photos and his thumbs are cocked in a signal of enjoyment.”
She added that William used a vocal tone that suggested he was talking to a “third adult in the group” when speaking to his son.
2. THE RESPONSIBLE, LEADERSHIP ROLE
All eyes were on Prince George and Kate Middleton as she hosted a very special carol concert last December, before her health struggles.
Despite Kate’s effortless chic outfit, it was young Prince George who stole the show – according to our body language expert.
Judi explained: “At Kate’s Christmas carol service in Westminster Abbey George might be walking with his siblings but his role now seems to have evolved to no longer be child-like.
“He has an air of gravitas here and he is clearly planning to keep an eye on Louis.
“This sense of responsibility looks natural for him rather than forced and he receives his reward from William, who glances at him with a suppressed mouth smile and softened eye expression that signals pride and affection.
“George doesn’t seem to need to be coached for this role either, there are no anxious glances thrown at his dad to check he’s doing it right, he just takes the lead naturally.”
3. HIS PDC’S – Public Displays of Confidence
In July Prince William and son George’s expressions went from ecstasy to agony as the referee blew the final whistle at the Euros 2024 final.
However, while England may have missed out on the trophy, George may have gained a valuable asset by attending: an increasing confidence in public.
The body language expert explained: “George is often seen at football matches with his dad and in a very visible spot with thousands of fans watching.
Kate Middleton’s ‘golden rule’ with George, Charlotte and Louis
KATE’S key rule for Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis is about kindness.
According to HELLO! Online’s Royal Correspondent: “Based on observations of photographs of Princess Diana at the time, and the current Princess of Wales, they are both very affectionate with their children.
“Kate is often seen holding her children’s hands or picking them up for cuddles when they were smaller.
“There are often lots of comforting gestures, such as a pat on the back or stroking their hair. When interacting with other children on her public engagements, Kate often crouches down to their level to engage with them – something that Diana would often do.”
When she’s at the family’s home of Adelaide Cottage in Windsor, despite her royal status, insiders say Kate is just like any other “normal mum”.
A friend explained that behind closed doors, the 42-year-old is “very chilled at home” but definitely not a pushover and will tell the kids off when needed.
They told PEOPLE: “It’s a normal, busy family home with kids running around and knocking things over. There’s no airs and graces.
“She is doing that to help her children be more grounded and keep their reality in check. That’s what really matters to her.”
“Both George and William adore football but these sporting events have given George the chance to grow his confidence and self-esteem, plus get the chance to lose his inhibitions in public.
“George and William are perfectly mirrored in their body language rituals like face-holding in disbelief, hugging in celebration and of course the ‘Warrior’ rituals of jumping, yelling and waving their fists in the air.
“This spontaneous ‘group think’ rituals are helping George to bond with his public as well as shuck off any shyness or overpowering anxiety about being ‘perfect’ all the time.”
4. HIS COACHING ROLE
At Trooping the Colour in June, eagle-eyed fans may have spotted George having a ‘big brother’ moment with young Prince Louis, six.
As Louis turned round to look at his father on the Buckingham Palace balcony, George gently reminded him to turn around to face the crowds.
Judi added: “On the balcony at this year’s Trooping of the Colour we can see a hierarchical shift as William delegates the care and coaching of his youngest son to George and Charlotte.
“As Louis looks up to talk to his dad it’s George instinctively acting like a prefect here, eye-checking Louis before using a shushing, swatting gesture to get him to turn to face front.
“This looks like usual behaviour from George, too. Louis obeys without any debate while William just looks happy to delegate with a strong degree of trust.”