Prince George’s major change that’s preparing him for ‘public life’

The Prince and Princess of Wales were joined by their three children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis during commemorations for the 80th anniversary of VE Day last week.

But it was their eldest son Prince George who noticeably left a lasting impression as he carried out one of his most significant engagements to date.

Aside from joining his family on the royal balcony, George, 11, made a surprise appearance alongside his parents at a tea party for veterans in Buckingham Palace’s Marble Hall.

The special reception, hosted by King Charles and Queen Camilla, was held for around 50 veterans and people who lived through the Second World War.

During the tea party, George spoke to Alfred, 101, who served during D-Day. When George asked: “What was it like when you were coming in?”, Alfred replied: “Pretty awful”.

Following a brief chat, Alfred then turned to George and said: “You know, it’s very important you are here today. It’s days like this that we should use to talk about things like this, so the younger generation can have some understanding.”

Speaking to HELLO! in this week’s issue, Robert Jobson, author of Catherine: The Princess of Wales, said of George’s surprise appearance: “This is probably the last big event where there will be veterans who served in the Second World War, so it will stick in his memory that he met people who fought, and give him a connection to them.”

He continued: “Of course, he played a major part in the coronation, so he has done big events, but the fact that he was meeting and conversing with these veterans, I thought that was a really good move by William and Kate.”

Musing on how it will impact George’s future in the spotlight, Robert went on to say: “They are preparing him for public life. Kids can find it difficult to meet people, shake their hands and look them in the eye, but he does it very well. I think what they’re trying to achieve is that he’s relaxed in that sort of situation, and I thought it was very successful.

“I think they’re trying to be careful not to overwhelm him, because he’s at a delicate age, but it’s very important, given that the late Queen is no longer here, to have that continuity going forward.”

Kate and William’s parenting style

The royal couple have occasionally shared glimpses inside their parenting style. Above all, William and Kate have stressed the importance of charity work, and how it has ultimately influenced their approach to parenting.

While talking at the Royal Foundation Forum, Kate previously said: “You can’t help but reflect on your own life and it’s definitely had an impact on how sort of I look at how I mother, how we work as a family and you know, how we hope to bring up our children.”

In November 2023, Kate and her three children memorably paid a visit to a local baby bank where they got stuck in and helped to carry boxes filled with books and toys.

To read the full report, pick up the latest issue of HELLO! on sale in the UK on Monday. You can subscribe to HELLO! to get the magazine delivered free to your door every week or purchase the digital edition online via our Apple or Google apps.