As Prince George enters his teenage years, royal experts have highlighted one important difference between his childhood and the difficult years Prince William experienced at the same age.
George is preparing for a major new chapter in his life, with reports suggesting he will follow in his father’s footsteps by attending Eton College. The milestone has prompted comparisons between the young prince and William, who began studying at Eton when he was 13.
Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond said William was dealing with far more than the pressure of one day becoming king during that period of his life.
“At this time in his life, William was troubled by a great deal more than just his destiny,” she told the Mirror.
William was already coming to terms with his future responsibilities as heir to the throne while also coping with the very public breakdown of the marriage between his parents, then-Prince Charles and Princess Diana.
Their personal lives had become the subject of intense public attention. Charles had admitted to being unfaithful during a televised interview, while Diana later spoke openly about her marriage in her controversial Panorama interview.
The interview was recorded only months after William’s 13th birthday, during his first term at Eton. Bond suggested that the turmoil surrounding his family made an already challenging stage of his life even more painful.
George, by comparison, has grown up with the support of two united and involved parents.
“George may well feel the burden of kingship on his shoulders, but he has two united and highly supportive parents who have always encouraged him to discuss his feelings and fears,” Bond said.
The young royal and his siblings have still faced serious challenges, particularly following the Princess of Wales’s cancer diagnosis and treatment. Bond acknowledged how difficult that experience would have been for any child, but noted that George has had his father beside him throughout it.
That support could prove especially valuable as George adjusts to teenage life and begins to understand more about the responsibilities awaiting him.
William not only knows what it is like to study at Eton, but also understands the unique pressures that come with being a future king. His own experiences may allow him to guide his son through situations few other parents could fully understand.
Bond recalled Diana once telling her that the country was fortunate to have William.
“I think George is exceptionally lucky to have the parents he has,” she added.
