Prince George Is Having a “Less Stressful Childhood” Than Dad Prince William

When it comes to most parents, it is their goal to make their kids’ childhoods better than their own—and that philosophy rings true even for royals.

Prince William’s eldest son, Prince George, will also one day be king, but his path to the throne is poised to be smoother than the Prince of Wales’s own. George just turned 12 years old a week ago, on July 22, and royal biographer Robert Hardman told Hello! that the preteen royal “is having a less stressful childhood than his dad did. One of the things that William regards as extremely important is his role not just as heir, but as father of an heir.”

“They’ve given it a lot of thought and been sensible about it,” Hardman said of William and Kate Middleton. “William enjoyed his school days and wants to make sure his son does.”

Fellow royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith told the outlet that “Stability is a very important emphasis for George’s parents. They are committed to providing the children with a solid family life and trying to make their lives as normal as possible, given the unusual circumstances of their position.”

George posed solo for his 12th birthday portrait—taken in the Norfolk countryside by Josh Shinner earlier this year—but also had a video made alongside his younger siblings Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. “There’s no jacket and tie—it’s authentic countryside fun,” Hardman said. “It’s nice to see George smiling so much.”

Bedell Smith added, “It really shows the bond in the family. These are children who are enjoying a relatively normal life, spending a lot of time outdoors. Up in Norfolk, they can live a pretty normal life—people don’t bother them. Everyone is very protective of them.”

Back in May, all three Wales kids attended a parade in honor of the 80th anniversary of VE Day, but only George attended a tea party at Buckingham Palace afterwards alongside his parents. “George was the star of the room,” a source who was present that day said. “He was engrossed in conversations with many of the veterans, who were delighted to speak to him as well.”

“It was a safe, familiar place,” the insider added. “William and Kate were clearly trying to give him a good experience. They both appeared protective, putting an arm around him from time to time, but they looked very proud of him by the end.”

Hardman said that “It’s all part of a slow, incremental move towards his destiny,” adding that, “They’ve always been very clear about pacing it, not making the children do anything that puts them off the idea of being royal in the future. It’s a case of including him in things that he’ll enjoy, but that also touch on his life to come.”

Bedell Smith predicted that the public will see more of these royal engagements undertaken by George in the coming years: “It’s still early for George to be doing more, but he’s being exposed to public life in a pretty intelligent way,” she said. “They seem to be doing it all very thoughtfully.”