Prince William Gave Prince George a ‘Normal Childhood’ By ‘Deliberately’ Not Telling Him He’ll Be King

Prince William didn’t want his son, Prince George, to know that he’s the future King of England too early on in the little one’s life.

“William deliberately delayed this news until the last possible moment,” royal author Robert Lacey told People in an article published Thursday, August 28. “It shows special care and thoughtfulness — it also tells us something about how William felt about the weight of the crown.”

The Prince of Wales, 43, and his wife Kate Middleton — who also share Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7 — reportedly told George, 12, he is the heir to the British throne when he was around 7 years old, according to the outlet.

As a result, Lacey, 81, noted that George “really has had a period of a normal childhood.”

The British historian also theorized that William “uses words like ‘destiny’ rather than ‘duty,’” when talking to George. “‘Duty’ has a sense of being trapped; ‘destiny’ has a sense of choice,” Lacey explained.

Royal biographer Robert Hardman also spoke to the outlet about the father-son relationship between William and George.

“William takes his role as father of the future King as seriously as he takes his role as future King. That’s key,” Hardman, 60, shared. “His overarching priority is making sure they enjoy it rather than fear it.”