His mum and dad, Kate Middleton and Prince William, have said they want him to grow up “normal”.
“There’ll be a time and a place to bring George up and understand how he fits in – in the world. We are very normal,” his dad said in an interview. But the young prince already faces a plethora of Royal ‘rules’ – and it explains why he is so rarely seen in trousers.
He’s actually been seen in them publicly only once – at his uncle Prince Harry’s wedding to Meghan Markle in May this year. Royal boys are expected to wear shorts until the age of eight, when they can switch to trousers to signify they are growing up. It’s a rite of passage which, according to the Victoria and Albert Museum, dates back to the 16th century.
He’s also banned from keeping presents from the public.
Royal guidelines state: “Gifts offered by private individuals living in the UK not personally known to the member of the Royal Family should be refused where there are concerns about the propriety of motives of the donor or the gift itself.”
And, from the age of 12 he is likely to be banned from flying with his dad, Prince William. It’s an old tradition which dictates that no two direct heirs to the throne should fly together. It was introduced when air travel was not as safe as it is now, and so far Kate and William have broken with this rule – so the family can be together. But they are likely to enforce it as he gets older – probably about 12.
And despite growing up in a world of smartphone and the internet, George will also be discouraged from letting people take selfies with him. Signing autographs is already banned by Royals – and now this ban has been extended to selfies.There is no doubt he is a cutie – here are Prince George’s sweetest moments to date.
We previously revealed how the little Prince celebrated turning five in the Caribbean island of Mustique.
A new official picture of Prince George has been released as he turns five. The eldest child of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge was photographed in the garden of Clarence House. The picture, showing the prince grinning at something – or someone – off camera, was taken after the christening of Prince Louis. The photographer, Matt Porteous, had also taken private pictures for William and Kate at the christening of two-month-old Louis earlier this month.
The picture, tweeted by Kensington Palace, was accompanied by a message of thanks from the duke and duchess to everyone for their “lovely messages”.George was last seen, alongside his siblings and parents, at the christening in The Chapel Royal at St James’s Palace. It was the first time the family-of-five had been seen together. He has made a number of public appearances in the past 12 months, including on the balcony at Buckingham Palace for the Queen’s official birthday celebrations in June.
The young prince was seen having fun with Savannah Phillips, the seven-year-old daughter of William’s cousin Peter and his wife Autumn Phillips, who jokingly told him to shush and put her hand over his mouth. He was also a page boy at the wedding of his uncle Prince Harry to Meghan Markle in May.
George recently completed his first year at school, Thomas’s Battersea in south London, where he played a sheep in the nativity play at Christmas. He is said to love helicopters and flying – perhaps taking after his father, who worked as an RAF search and rescue helicopter pilot. To mark his birthday, a new £5 coin has been issued by the Royal Mint, showing St George and the Dragon on its reverse.