How Kate Middleton and Prince William Are Preparing Prince George for His Future Role as King
- - How Kate Middleton and Prince William Are Preparing Prince George for His Future Role as King
Simon PerryJanuary 1, 2026 at 7:00 PM
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Prince George and Prince William in London on May 5, 2025 -
Prince George recently helped out at a holiday lunch for the homeless with Prince William, in the latest step in his very gradual immersion into royal duties
The two future kings were side-by-side as they volunteered at The Passage charity in London
As George approaches his teens, he is being introduced to royal duties alongside his parents
As he spends his holidays enjoying being surrounded by his family and close friends, Prince George’s future role at the heart of the public side of the royal family is likely far from his mind.
But close observers of the family can see how the last 12 months have provided a landmark for the young prince as his parents, Prince William and Kate Middleton, have very gradually immersed him further in the duties that will inevitably come his way in the decades to come.
With the monarchy’s role as the head of the armed forces, in whose name service people fight, paying tribute and honoring those men and women is imperative to the senior royals. So, when the 80th anniversary of VE Day came around in May 2025, and some of the remaining veterans of the Second World War were invited to Buckingham Palace by King Charles, it presented a perfect opportunity for George to experience some of that legacy firsthand.
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Prince George, Prince William and Kate Middleton at veterans tea party on May 5, 2025
In an unannounced move, he joined his parents at the palace, chatting with veterans and being led around the room by his mom, Princess Kate, to meet some of the military heroes. Russell Myers of The Mirror was at the event and told PEOPLE the young prince was "very engaged" at the tea.
"Even though he is so young, he seems to have grown in confidence over the last couple of years." A palace insider added, "That is quite a responsibility to sit down and chat with veterans like that. It was incredible."
He was joined by younger siblings, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7, for the show of family and pomp and ceremony that is Trooping the Colour, in June, something that all three children are now accustomed to.
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Prince William and Kate Middleton with their children at Trooping the Colour on June 14, 2025
Then, in November, Prince George was again a surprise addition to the royals gathering on the somber weekend paying tribute to the armed forces, when Princess Kate took her eldest son along to the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall.
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Kate Middleton and Prince George at the Festival of Remembrance on Nov. 8, 2025
It was a very different occasion when Prince George joined his father at The Passage, an outing that was made public on Dec. 20. In doing so, he was following in Princess Diana’s footsteps in helping out quietly behind the scenes at the shelter for the homeless.
When William started out, he learned some of what he would need from his late grandmother Queen Elizabeth, over tea at Windsor Castle. But most of the practical preparation for the inevitable destiny came from joining his late mother, Princess Diana, and father, King Charles, over a myriad number of engagements over decades, the experiences being steadily and incrementally absorbed.
It is, as the palace insider put it, “a slow game,” from his parents, adding, “it gets him used to it on the couple’s terms rather than anybody else’s.”
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