Prince George has marked his 13th birthday with a striking new portrait and a rare family video that offers a glimpse of the future king away from royal formality.
© mattporteousReleased by the Prince and Princess of Wales, the portrait shows George in a dark suit, looking noticeably older. His resemblance to Prince William at the same age is hard to miss. The accompanying footage, filmed during a family trip to Cornwall, captures a more relaxed side of George as he spends time with Charlotte and Louis.
The release comes at a turning point. George is expected to begin at Eton College in September, following in the footsteps of his father and his uncle, Prince Harry.
William and Kate have long been careful about how much of their children’s lives they share. Birthday portraits and occasional family videos allow the public to watch George grow up while much of his childhood remains private.
© Getty ImagesEton will bring more independence, but he will not be far from home. The school is a short drive from Windsor, allowing George to begin boarding-school life with his family still close by.
The Road to Eton
For years, one question followed Prince George: Where would he go to secondary school? Royal watchers debated the possibilities, but Eton remained the obvious front-runner.
© Getty ImagesThe school has deep ties to the Royal Family. Both Prince William and Prince Harry were educated there, and Eton has decades of experience educating royal pupils under intense public attention.
© WireImageFounded in 1440, Eton sits just across the River Thames from Windsor Castle. Its influence runs deep. Twenty British prime ministers studied there, including Sir Robert Walpole, David Cameron and Boris Johnson.
Its former pupils also include more than 15 British princes, as well as members of royal families from across Europe, Asia and Africa.
Prince William broke decades of royal convention when he chose Eton over Scotland’s Gordonstoun. Prince Harry followed. Prince George is now expected to do the same.
© Getty ImagesEven so, the transition will be a big one. George will trade the familiar surroundings of Lambrook School for harder schoolwork and life in a boarding house. Like any 13-year-old, he'll have to find his footing among new classmates.
© POOL/AFP via Getty ImagesWhat sets him apart is the attention that will follow him there. When William arrived at Eton in the 1990s, social media didn't exist and smartphones weren't part of everyday life. Today, every public appearance can spread around the world in minutes. Privacy is harder to hold on to, especially for a future king.
The Middleton Blueprint: A Different Royal Childhood
George’s move to Eton follows royal tradition, but his home life sets him apart from earlier heirs.
William and Kate have given him room to grow more independent while keeping family close. Their life has centered on school, outdoor time and the bond between George, Charlotte and Louis. That is where Kate’s close-knit Middleton upbringing comes most clearly into view.
© Getty ImagesGeorge’s childhood could never be ordinary, but his parents have kept much of it private and introduced royal duties slowly. They seem determined to make home a place where he is a son and brother first, rather than only a future king.
The contrast with William’s teenage years is striking. William began at Eton while his parents’ marriage was unraveling in public. George will start with his parents together, his siblings nearby and home close enough to reach easily.
© Max Mumby/IndigoBalancing Destiny With Childhood
William and Kate have always seemed determined to let their children be children for as long as possible. George has appeared at major royal events and joined his parents at Wimbledon and international soccer matches. Even so, most of his life remains out of public view.
The birthday footage made that clear. George was shown playing cricket, climbing across rocks and laughing with Charlotte and Louis. In those moments, he looked less like a future king than a boy at the beach with his brother and sister.
© Chris JacksonEton will bring a sharper break from childhood. George will have to adjust to boarding-house routines, harder schoolwork and days apart from his younger siblings. He will also begin to build a world beyond his family.
© Getty ImagesBut his position will always set him apart. Every milestone will be watched. Every choice will attract attention. His parents must prepare him for that scrutiny without allowing it to take over his adolescence. George’s path has been laid out since the day he was born. His teenage years have not. For now, William and Kate seem intent on letting him leave them before the Crown asks more of him.
