Prince George turned 12 this Tuesday, and in front of the whole world, we are witnessing his transformation.
On July 22, 2013, Prince William and Kate Middleton introduced their firstborn, a baby boy who secured the future of the British monarchy. For now, it is unclear how he celebrated this special day, which marks his step into early adolescence as a future king.
© Getty ImagesFor his 12th birthday, William and Kate shared a new photo of George on social media along with a video of him playing with his siblings, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. In the photo by photographer Josh Shinner, George wears a collared shirt and brown vest, casually leaning on a fence outside.
© Josh Shinner/The Prince and Princess of Wales/XLast year, the heir to the throne’s social media account posted a black and white photo of George taken in Windsor by his mother, showing a more mature side of him in a suit and white shirt. Kate Middleton has also captured special moments of her other two children, Charlotte and Louis, on their birthdays.
© Kate Middleton
© WireImageWith George now a 12-year-old boy and on such an important day, one question comes to mind: What do you give a boy who was born to be king? His parents have always been discreet on the subject, but a few years ago, the heir to the throne gave a rare insight.
In 2016, when George was just three, William and Kate visited Portsmouth for the America’s Cup. During the event, Zak Kay, one of the tournament winners, asked William what Prince George had received for his birthday, as he had just blown out his candles a few days earlier.
Faced with the direct question, Prince William replied, “What did he get for his birthday? I’m not telling you,” he added with a smile. “But he received too many gifts. He’s far too spoiled.”
© Getty ImagesGeorge was last seen in public on July 13, when he attended the Wimbledon men's final with his parents and his sister Charlotte.
© Getty ImagesBritish Monarchy’s Safety Protocol Explained
The eldest son of the Prince and Princess of Wales is expected to change schools next year. On top of that, a royal rule may soon apply to him to help secure the future of the monarchy. This year will be George’s last at Lambrook School, and he is expected to attend Eton, the world’s most prestigious boys’ boarding school, which both his father and uncle, Prince Harry, attended. His unique position within the institution and his mother’s cancer diagnosis have made him grow up quickly and develop an early maturity, according to Diana Jiménez, a psychologist who specializes in childhood and public education.
© UEFA via Getty ImagesThe British monarchy has a rule that could change the life of the second in line to the throne. Starting at age 12, direct heirs are not allowed to travel together to protect the monarchy in case of an accident. So Prince William and his son George will have to travel separately from now on.
