Prince George is “undoubtedly aware of his future role” as head of the monarchy — but it’ll be a while before he becomes king.
“Barring any accidents or health issues, George will not be king for some years,” royal historian Marlene Koenig told Us Weekly exclusively following George’s 12th birthday last month. “He is second in line — as his father is the heir apparent — and his grandfather is the king.”
Koenig speculated that George’s “proper awareness” for his future role came after Queen Elizabeth II’s September 2022 death. She noted that George has “taken part in numerous public events” with senior members of the royal family thus far, guessing that Prince William and Princess Kate Middleton have discussed “these changes” with their eldest son.
George was also notably one of the train bearers during King Charles III’s coronation in May 2023.
“George is the first member of the Royal Family to have such a role in the service,” Koenig continued. “If the young prince was nervous, he didn’t show it.”
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Koenig recalled William, 43, and Kate, 43, watching “with pride” as George took part in the ceremony.
“The Coronation provided the young prince with the knowledge that he, too, would one day be crowned in a Coronation ceremony,” she added. “George may be a 12-year-old schoolboy who loves sports, but he is most certainly aware of his future.”
It’s been widely reported that royal protocol kicked in after George turned 12, meaning that he and William can no longer travel together. Royal experts have confirmed over the years that when it comes to air travel, William and George will be separated. (This move protects the future monarchs in case of an emergency while traveling.)
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Amid this next chapter of George’s life, he will be learning “firsthand about the responsibilities as heir to the throne” from William.
Last year, royal expert Robert Jobson — author of the book Catherine, the Princess of Wales — told Us exclusively that George’s preparation for the throne was a gradual change so as not to “freak him out.” The author also shared a similar sentiment as Koenig regarding George’s “special and clever” involvement in Charles’ 2023 coronation.
“I think it was very important that he played that part as a page boy at the King’s coronation,” Jobson told Us at the time. “It gave him a real sense of the grandeur and all the expectation. I thought that was quite important actually for George.”
