Prince George turned 11 years old in July 2024. Questions concerning his ascent to the throne prior to turning eighteen have been raised by his new age. However, a significant and fascinating British law specifies what would occur in the event that the youthful royal was too young to carry out his royal duties.
King Charles III’s cancer treatment has made maintaining the monarchy a critical concern. Even though Prince George is not yet a teenager, he is already being prepared for his future as king.
This is the situation where a lesser-known British law applies. It shows how the monarchy would operate in the event that Prince George was judged to be too young to carry out his royal duties.
Should Prince George ascend to the throne prior to turning eighteen?
When a young heir like Prince George ascends to the throne, it presents significant issues regarding royal duties and governance in the British monarchy. In cases where the Sovereign was too young or incapable of carrying out royal duties, the Regency Act of 1937 was designed to address the situation.
Following issues during the illness of King George V, this law was introduced. They understood at the time that a well-defined strategy for royal authority was required. This Act states that if Prince George ascends to the throne before the age of 18, a Regent will be chosen to carry out his royal duties until such time.
The Regent acts in place of the Sovereign and assumes all of their responsibilities to maintain the smooth operation of the monarchy. This entails approving legislation, representing the throne at formal gatherings, and carrying out other crucial royal duties.
During this time, the Regent’s function is essential to maintaining the monarchy’s stability and continuity. Usually, the next adult in the line of succession who is both eligible and qualified to serve is the Regent.
The applicant needs to meet certain requirements in addition to being British and being of legal age. The next eligible person will take over as Regent if the next in line is a minor or otherwise ineligible.
Prince William, who comes after King Charles III in the line of succession, would need to be declared incompetent or deceased for Prince George to be the heir apparent.
Prince William’s younger brother Prince Harry would be the most likely contender for Regent if this occurred before Prince George turned eighteen.
This is due to the fact that Prince George’s younger siblings, Princess Charlotte of Wales and Prince Louis of Wales, who follow him in the line of succession, would not be eligible to serve as Regents since they are still minors.
Since Prince Harry is older than eighteen and comes after Prince George and his siblings in the line of succession, he would then be given consideration for the position.
He is also a perfect choice to mentor the young king during his formative years due to his wealth of experience performing royal duties. As of writing, Prince Harry did not reside in the United Kingdom. His eligibility would be contingent upon his status as a lawful resident and other requirements specified by the Regency Act.
Prince George’s Future as King: Getting Ready
A palace insider stated in 2023 that Prince William and Princess Catherine had already begun easing their son’s transition into his future position. They made sure he understood his future royal duties while also concentrating on giving him a typical childhood.
In 2020, Prince George—whose mother referred to him as their “little grape”—had his first official conversation regarding his future. Royal biographer Robert Lacey pointed out that the timing of this discussion was deliberate.
Prince William wanted to avoid the uncertainty and pressure he felt about his own royal future, and this was reflected in the conversation. According to reports, it was a planned and orchestrated moment designed to control Prince George’s exposure to information about his future.
Amaia Arrieta, a children’s clothing designer, provided some additional insight into the situation. Prince George and his siblings, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, have worn her creations for years.
“I believe George was aware of it practically from the start. He has always played a more significant part. His siblings weren’t present at a lot of the occasions he spent with his late great-grandmother or great-grandfather, Arrieta revealed.
When Prince George was three years old, Prince William discussed whether the young child understood that he would one day become king in an interview with the BBC in 2016. The Prince of Wales revealed that there was a proper moment and setting for telling his son about his upcoming royal responsibilities.
The Prince of Wales, on the other hand, was committed to giving Prince George a safe, stable, and loving environment. “I am sure [William and Catherine] are making George aware in the best way they can,” the palace insider continued. and avoiding making it overly onerous.”
In particular, the Prince and Princess of Wales wished to ease their oldest son’s transition into royal responsibilities. The royal couple gave careful thought to how they would normalize the reality for him, so it wasn’t frightening at all.
Royal biographer Robert Hardman said, “[…] There’s a belief to make it as unobtrusive and as normal — if you can call it normal — and as pleasant as possible.”
Prince George is performing his role until it’s his turn to take the throne. At King Charles III’s coronation in May 2023, he entered the royal limelight.
One of his grandfather’s Pages of Honor was the young prince. Prince George assisted in carrying the King’s robe during the ceremony at Westminster Abbey. After that, he also assumed a prominent position on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.
Prince William and Princess Catherine were aware of the responsibility that came with this position. Prince George, after all, became the future king with the youngest official role in a coronation. Still, they believed their son was prepared for the assignment. One close friend of the family said, “He was terrific.”
The official portrait of King Charles III and his heirs, Prince William and Prince George, was made public by the palace after the coronation. The powerful image represented the future of the monarchy.
But despite these high-profile events, Prince William and Princess Catherine placed a high value on providing their kids with a typical upbringing. They enjoyed playing outside, experimenting in the kitchen, and going to the candy store as a family.
An insider from the palace revealed, “It’s a massive balancing act.” The insider thinks that by shielding Prince George, the Prince and Princess of Wales were “doing the right thing”.
According to the insider, “He’s getting firsthand experience of what it’s like to be a royal and a monarch and firsthand experience of being a normal boy.” This strategy was largely influenced by Princess Catherine’s upbringing outside of the royal family.
According to a person close to the royal family, Princess Catherine recognized the value of spending time with her family. “She wasn’t brought up in that aristocratic setting where you see the children for a short time each day,” they continued.
An insider revealed that the endearing royal possessed the “confident” and “outgoing” nature necessary to become the future King of England, as Prince William and Princess Catherine readied their son for a life of royalty.
Sources claimed that Prince George had already “blossomed” and had a wide range of interests by the time he was eight years old. These included learning languages, science, photography, cooking, gardening, and the outdoors.
It was also said that the young royal had a keen interest in sports. He was very serious about his education, unlike some children his age. The insider revealed, “He is a straight-A student and loves school.”
Adorable qualities were also passed down from his parents to the young prince who resembles them. According to reports, the 11-year-old is “protective and a confident decision-maker” like his father, but “sensitive” like his mother.
Prince George was “definitely more outgoing and cheeky” than his parents were when they were his age, the insider joked.
“Kate and William are incredibly happy for George and feel fortunate to have such a wonderful and affectionate son. They are quite certain that he will grow up to be a fantastic king, but they try not to overwhelm him with information about it,” the source said.
Prince George’s parents assured him he experienced the fullness of a typical childhood as he grew a year older. They are also ensuring that he will grow up to be a magnificent king by preparing him for future duties.