This week, new testimony about the British royal family has attracted international attention. Robert Lacey, an expert on the Windsors, has shared a key detail about Prince George, which for years had remained private. His words open a window into Prince William and Kate Middleton's relationship with their eldest son, marked by care and discretion.
Prince George, who is now 12 years old, grew up in an environment very different from what many imagine for an heir to the throne. William and Kate carefully planned every step of his emotional education. How did they manage to ensure that a child with such a future lived a practically normal life until he was seven years old?
Robert Lacey reveals how William and Kate protected Prince George's childhood
Prince George was born on July 22, 2013, at St Mary’s Hospital, where William and Harry were also born. From that moment, his destiny was sealed: one day he will become the king of the United Kingdom. However, his parents decided that this heavy burden should not shape his early years.
The recent history of the royal family explains this decision. William himself acknowledged on several occasions that he grew up under intense media pressure, especially after the loss of his mother, Diana of Wales. That experience shaped his understanding of fatherhood and led him to seek a different approach for George, Charlotte, and Louis.
Over the past few decades, the monarchy has softened some rigid protocols to allow for the private lives of its members. With this more modern vision, William and Kate designed a quiet strategy to talk to George about his royal destiny at the right moment, avoiding telling him too soon.
The major revelation came from Robert Lacey, a renowned historian and author of several books about the Windsors. In statements to People magazine, he stated that William and Kate didn't tell George he would be king until he turned seven. "He has had a normal childhood," Lacey explained.
The expert emphasized that this normality was the result of a conscious decision: "William deliberately delayed the news until the last possible moment. That shows the care and consideration for his son. It also tells us something about how William himself felt about the weight of the crown," he added.
The choice to wait until 2020 to share George's destiny reflects a commitment to his emotional well-being. The heir lived his first seven years like any other child, attending school, enjoying the countryside, and playing with his siblings, without the weight of being the future monarch.
A line of succession marked by George's future
Currently, the line of succession to the British throne places William first and George second. After him are Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. Only then does Prince Harry appear, who holds the fifth position.
George's childhood thus takes on a special dimension: he is the only one of the three siblings destined to reign. However, William and Kate have wanted that difference not to shape his daily life. Keeping that delicate balance has been, according to experts, one of the greatest achievements of the Prince and Princess of Wales in the past decade.
The protection of the children's privacy is also reflected in the royal couple's housing plans. As confirmed last June, William and Kate will move to Forest Lodge at the end of this year. This move is to a residence located near Lambrook School, where George, Charlotte, and Louis study.
Biographer Robert Hardman expressed it clearly in an interview with the BBC. "William takes his role as the father of the future king as seriously as he takes his role as future king. His main priority is to make sure they enjoy it rather than fear it," he said.
This way of raising George shows the influence of Diana of Wales, whose constant concern was that her children would have normal experiences. William has embraced that legacy and taken it further, delaying the conversation about George's royal destiny so he could enjoy childhood innocence for a longer time.
Robert Lacey's confession about Prince George confirms how William and Kate have prioritized their son's childhood over protocol. Delaying the news that he would be king until he was seven reflects a generational change within the Windsors. What remains to be seen is how that balanced upbringing will shape the character of the future British monarch.