Key rules Charles had to follow while preparing to be King – but Prince George doesn’t because of Kate Middleton
But there are certain rules King Charles had to follow that Prince George – now 11 – will not thanks to Prince William and Kate Middleton’s parenting, according to an expert.
Royal author Phil Dampier told Fabulous: “Prince George’s progress to one day becoming monarch will be totally different from his grandfather King Charles.
“The King had much of his life planned by a committee of relatives, experts and advisors and in 1987 he declared, in a cry of frustration ‘You can’t understand what it’s like to have your whole life mapped out for you a year in advance.
“‘It’s so awful to be programmed.
“‘I know what I’ll be doing next week, next month, even next year.
“‘At times I get so fed up with the whole idea.’”
Thankfully for Prince George, the Prince and Princess of Wales are trying to give their eldest son more freedom and choices in his upbringing.
Here’s how…
Schooling
Phil shared: “Prince Philip decided Charles should go to the same schools as he did and Charles was packed off as a boarder first to Cheam, and then Gordonstoun in Scotland, where he was bullied.
“At Cheam he watched his mother on television announce she was going to make him Prince of Wales.”
Charles was said to have recalled: “I remember being acutely embarrassed. I think for a little boy of nine it was rather bewildering.
“All the others turned and looked at me in amazement.”
While Charles famously hated being isolated at Gordonstoun, Prince George is with his siblings at Lambrook School, and currently lives at home with his family.
Phil shared: “At Gordonstoun it was all cold showers, outdoor pursuits and Charles was duffed up by his fellow pupils who taunted him about his big sticky out ears.
“It’s hard to imagine George being bullied at school in the same way today.
“William and Kate have tried to give him a normal schooling.”
Prince George’s school’s ethos is creating pupils who will leave “Lambrook as confident, happy, engaging, independent and kind young people who are outward looking in all that they do.”
University
Phil said how William and Kate are “unlikely to force Prince George into going to University or joining the armed forces if he doesn’t want to.”
This contrasts to Charles, whose education was decided by his parents.
Phil claimed: “In December 1965 however, the then Queen and Prince Philip hosted a dinner party with the express purpose of discussing Charles’s future.
“The guests included the Prime Minister Harold Wilson, the Archbishop of Canterbury Michael Ramsey, Philip’s uncle Lord Mountbatten, the Dean of Windsor and the Queen’s private secretary Sir Michael Adeane.
“Charles was not invited and was told afterwards by Mountbatten his future would be Trinity College Cambridge, Dartmouth Naval College and then a spell in the Royal Navy.”
Not learning Welsh
Charles prepared for his role as the Prince of Wales by spending a term at Aberystwyth University learning Welsh.
However, Prince William has had a more relaxed preparation for the role, and it’s expected Prince George will too.
Phil added: “Prince William doesn’t speak Welsh as the Prince of Wales and I’m sure George won’t have to learn it either
“Although Charles became Prince of Wales in 1958, his investiture wasn’t until 1969 in a spectacular ceremony.
“William has shown no desire to have a similar event, and so it’s unlikely George will either.”
In-depth training
Charles waited 70 years to be crowned as king, and his record-breaking wait as heir apparent has even gained him a place in the Guinness Book of Records.
During this time, he has had thorough preparation, claims Phil.
The royal expert shared: “As he spent several decades trying to find a role, Charles started the Prince’s Trust in 1976, became patron of 800 charities and organisations, and even put himself forward as a possible Governor-General of Australia, an idea which was not taken up.
“He even took his seat in the House of Lords and made two speeches there.
“He was slowly introduced to the workings of state and the Commonwealth.
“It’s unlikely that George will undergo a similar depth of training for the job, and the modern style seems to be to concentrate on a few causes, rather than being patron of hundreds of organisations.”
Don’t want to cause an abdication
The royal author shared how Prince William and Princess Kate are keen to avoid Prince George wanting to walk away from the role.
Phil shared: “There have been several abdications among European royals in recent times, and several younger European royals have expressed some doubts about their future roles in ancient institutions.
“William and Kate won’t want to put George under too much pressure and put him off his destiny, so it’s a balancing act.
“But hopefully when the time comes he will feel able to step up and carry out his duties, driving the monarchy towards the second half of the 21st century.”
