Prince William & Kate Middleton Are Reportedly Preparing Prince George To Be King

Prince George Reportedly Likes Dressing Like His Dad

The 10-year-old royal “is a studious and sporty schoolboy who loves soccer,” royal expert Robert Jobson said in The Daily Expresslast week. This was evident because he did have a “football-themed” party, which is the name Europeans use for soccer. He has also been making more public outings lately, including a trip to Wimbledon with his little sister Charlotte, 8. (Their 5-year-old brother Louis stayed home and was, from what we’ve heard, pretty salty about it.)

When George does like to go out in public, he reportedly enjoys dressing like his dad. “He looks the spitting image of his dad and apparently insists on dressing like him too – with a jacket and tie – when the occasion requires,” Jobson said.

Prince George is also close to King Charles III, which is another sign that he is taking his royal responsibilities seriously. “He gets on well with his loving granddad King Charles III too and famously took part in the Coronation as a Page of Honour and didn’t put a foot wrong,” Jobson continued. “I’m told his informal chats with his grandfather are becoming more frequent. You sense, just like William’s relationship with the late queen, Elizabeth II, when he was an Eton schoolboy, George’s close bond with the King will be important in preparing for his future role.” It does make a lot of sense!

Princess Kate is Keeping Prince George ‘As Grounded As Possible’

Despite not growing up in a royal family herself, the Princess of Wales is working hard to make sure Prince George has a “balanced” childhood.

“George is very lucky to have Catherine as his mother,” royal expert Jennie Bond told Mirror. “She’s showing herself to be an excellent parent in quite difficult circumstances and doing a great job of making sure George grows up as balanced, confident and happy as possible.”

Bond added, “As second in line to the throne behind his father Prince William, he really is in a unique position for a child who has only just reached his ‘double digits’ milestone. But it’s his mother who is keeping him as grounded as possible.”

“Even though he has this big destiny ahead of him, Catherine tries very hard to ensure his childhood is as normal as possible with walks in the park, outings with friends and visits to local museums and farms,” she said. Not to mention, she still bakes homemade birthday cakes for him!

“Key to this was agreeing with the press that George and his siblings would largely be left alone in exchange for her initiative to release photos of them at key points in their lives,” Bond continued, adding that it must be “a bit disconcerting for a 10-year-old.” She added, “But George now copes pretty well with cameras and public attention at big occasions. Mind you, lately he has had a bit of luck because Louis has earned himself the reputation of being the kid who clowns around and grabs the spotlight. So that takes the heat off George a bit!” Oh yes, the one time you actually want your younger sibling to steal the spotlight from you!

Losing Princess Diana Reportedly Influenced Prince William’s Parenting Style

Psychologist Emma Kelly told The Mirror that “the shock of losing” Princess Diana at a young age influenced Prince William’s parenting style.

“Having experienced the profound grief of losing a parent at a young age, William understands, like few others can, the importance of providing emotional support and stability to his own children,” Kelly said. “The empathy, kindness and strength he gained from that difficult time are evident in the parenting approach that both he and Kate take.”

“Kate’s guidance will make a more personable and empathetic monarch, equipped to handle the challenges of modern-day monarchy,” said Bond. “Since she’s likely to be queen before her son is crowned, the mentoring that he will receive from her will be powerfully educating. She’s sowing the seeds for him to cope with the pressures by maintaining a high level of positive communication and a family foundation of love and security. At 10, George has a secure base from which to explore the world, make mistakes and grow in character.”

She added, “The accepting nature Kate and William demonstrate will help him develop emotional literacy and an empathetic nature. Encouraging George to express his feelings and concerns, normalizing them and offering comfort, will help him develop resilience, too. Of course, all these skills will be essential in his future role as he will face immense public scrutiny.”

One palace insider recently told PEOPLE about raising Prince George, “It’s a massive balancing act. William and Kate are doing the right thing, protecting him so he can have as normal a childhood as possible, but he’s also dipping into duties as a future monarch.”

Another source close to the royal household said, “Coming from a different background, she appreciates the importance of having family time. She wasn’t brought up in that aristocratic setting where you see the children for a short time each day. ”

“Royal families over the generations haven’t had the chance to get those foundations right, but they have,” another source confirmed.

Prince George Is Reportedly ‘Luckier’ Than King Charles Was

Part of this unique, normalized childhood upbringing could have stemmed from King Charles’ experience as a kid. “At the age of 10 Charles was not only already away from home at boarding school, he had also been proclaimed Prince of Wales, so he was forced to grow up and experience independence earlier than George,” Bond told Mirror. “Whenever he was pictured, he was almost always in a suit and tie, looking rather shy.”

She continued, “George is luckier because William and Catherine are far less formal and more natural around people. I think it’s also much better and more modern to bring up George in a house that isn’t too vast, on the Windsor estate. He’s got a lot on his plate, coming to terms with the role that lies ahead, and the fact that he is, by accident of birth, different to every other child of his age. I think he needs his parents close by to talk things through, which I’m sure they do.”

“Although Kate and William will probably send him to boarding school in the future, I suppose that won’t be for another three years,” Bond said. “So I think that’s the benefit of learning from the mistakes of the past and doing things differently. As a result I think George is a much more rounded, happier boy than Charles likely was.”