Prince George turns 11 today: what do experts say about his future?

The son of Prince William and Princess Catherine of Wales turned 11 on 22 July 2024 and his parents released this lovely black and white photo. George of Wales has had a tough year with both his grandfather and mother announcing that they were being treated for cancer. But could the little Prince have the worst to come?

Image: KensingtonRoyal

'The King' author, Christopher Andersen said to Fox News Digital, "William and Kate have done pretty much anything they could to make George's childhood a relatively normal one,"  but this will not alter his birthright - heir to the throne - and taking the royal family through a new generation.

Prince George has already had a number of important royal duties. He played an important role in the coronation of his grandfather, King Charles III on 6th May 2023. George, at only 9 years old, was named as one of four Pages of Honour for Charles.

Prince George still has a little way to go before he is made King. Currently his grandfather, Charles, rules, then his father, Prince William, will inherit the crown before him. Yet, many have already begun speculating how the monarchy will have changed by the time the 9-year-old sits on the throne, and how they expect him to bring the British monarchy into the future.

The Mirror reported that Prince George would be told about his future at a specific moment, with the time and detail carefully planned by his parents, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. It's a huge undertaking and they did not want George to 'find out accidentally and be confused'. But he only found out recently.

Royal historian Robert Lacey, who wrote 'Battle of Brothers: William and Harry - The Inside Story of a Family in Tumult' commented that Prince George was told of his destiny on his seventh birthday in 2020. On that day, "his parents went into more detail about what the little prince’s life of future royal ‘service and duty’ would particularly involve," as Marie Claire reports.

Social media has become an important part of today's life, and that's no different for the monarchy. Even The Late Queen joined Twitter in 2009! The use of social media for the royals has increased interest in the British monarchy and it is thought little George will be the one to use it to bring the monarchy even closer to the people.

Photo: Prince William and Princess Catherine

As reported by the Express, entrepreneur and media voice, Am Golhar, said "When it comes to the future [of the] monarchy [and] to Prince George, of course, there will be another new form of a social media platform as we are in a high pace evolving digital world."

Am Golhar continued by pointing out that the young royal will most likely have people around him to manage social media but would probably like to put his own 'personal touch' on the content. Even so, it seems the future of the young Prince will include a wider range of 'services and duties' to keep up with the times. Do the royals now come under the name group 'celebrities'?

Dame Hilary Mantel suggested to The Times that the Late Queen could very well have been the last of respected Royals in the modern world, she said, "It's very hard to understand the thinking behind the monarchy in the modern world when people are just seen as celebrities."

After branding the new Royal Family 'celebrities', Dame Hilary Mantel also created some controversy surrounding the future of the little Prince George of Cambridge. The novelist has been in the press for her controversial royal views and she foresaw that there are only two generations left in Britain’s monarchy, meaning the Prince and Princess of Wales' eldest son might never become King.

Ms Mantel has been in the press once (or twice!) before - most famous for citing Kate Middleton as “a jointed doll on which certain rags are hung” in 2013. It created public outrage and the novelist’s reputation hasn’t been doing too well since, as she is now being accused of hating England after declaring she intends to become an Irish citizen. Strong order for a Dame.

Of course, what Mantel was trying to convey was that the modernisation of the world means the royal’s time could be running out. Putting this aside, she did say that she admired the determination of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth. But the Dame has not been the only author to have the same prediction.

Clive Irving (author of 'The Last Queen: How Queen Elizabeth II Saved the Monarchy') also stated that the monarchy could well be abolished before Prince George gets round to taking the throne.

The expert on the Royals told Express.co.uk: "Before you can assess how William, and later George, might work out, you have to allow for the way the monarchy will look under King Charles, and whether under him it can survive."

Abdication is not an option for Charles. The Queen, at least, regards this as bringing shame to the family, after her uncle abdicated. Not only that, but The Queen made a promise when she was 21 years old that she would serve until her last day. When that day arrived, Prince Charles automatically became King.

Of course, it must always be taken into consideration that Queen Elizabeth II and her father, the late George VI were exceptional monarchs. Mr Irving said, "The Queen and her father, George VI, were exceptions in the Windsor line that followed Queen Victoria, the only ones to be exemplary in the role.” She is a tough act to follow for any royal.

The royal expert claimed Charles ‘lacks his mother's extraordinary ability to reign’ and said at the time: "In my view Prince Charles is a reversion to the line of duds, falling far short of the standard set by his mother and grandfather.”

The public had spoken at the time of the Queen's death, with a YouGov poll showing that Brits said they would prefer Prince William to take the the throne instead of his father, Charles. In the same poll 14% of Brits also voted "no monarch" after Her Majesty. A further 15% of people opted to choose the "don't know" option when asked who should be King after Queen Elizabeth.

Eleven year old Prince George is second in line to the throne. If his grandfather doesn’t abdicate, his own father could be pushing 50 before he has any glimpse of the crown. Not only is time not on his side, but the public opinion of the royal family in general isn't either; as many still wish to abolish the British monarchy.

Attending Lambrook School in Berkshire with his sister and brother, Charlotte and Louis, they are simply known as George, Charlotte  and Louis. He is quietly living his youth and education as a normal school child - for now. However, things may change for George as soon as next year...

Photo: Prince William and Princess Catherine

Christopher Anderson, author, said to Fox News Digital, "This may be the last year George will be allowed to fly with his father". It seems Prince William also stopped flying with Charles, and even his brother Harry when he reached 12 years old. But why such a strange rule?

It turns out the rule is age-old and may not be that strange after all! "Starting at age 12, heirs to the throne are required to take air trips separately to preserve the line of succession should an accident occur," Andersen continued.

After 12 years old, the rules become even more morbid... at just 16, the young man will have to plan his own funeral himself! It seems George has a long road ahead of rules, regulations and duties... all depending on the success of his predecessors, of course.

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