Young Royals Who Will Grow Up To Be King

Much of the world watched in awe and anticipation as King Charles III was coronated in May 2023 at the age of 74. Charles spent most of his life as a prince and was, ostensibly, as ready as a person could be for such a major moment, but he did not necessarily always feel that way. Per Time, a 20-something Charles once shared that he had to come to terms with his place in the line of succession. "I think it's something that dawns on you with the most ghastly, inexorable sense," he shared. "I didn't suddenly wake up in my pram one day and say 'Yippee,' you know."

Charles' mother, on the other hand, did not have as much time to prepare before she became the sovereign. Queen Elizabeth II's coronation took place when she was just 27 years old. It wasn't always a given that she would one day rule: Her father, King George VI, became king after his older brother, Edward VIII, abdicated the throne in 1936. Per Time, George wrote in his journal that he "broke down and sobbed like a child" when he learned he would be king — a role he was not prepared for.

Needless to say, becoming king is a big deal, and a number of royal institutions across the globe have young princes who are learning the ropes ready to step up to take on the duties of their families and country. Here are some of the young royals who are set to become king one day.

British royal watchers around the world rejoiced when the Prince and Princess of Wales announced they were expecting. Everyone waited on the edge of their seat for the newest heir to the throne to be born. Prince William is, of course, first in line after King Charles III. But after the Prince of Wales? Why, that would be William's firstborn. 

In 2011, William married Princess Catherine. A little over two years later, their first child, George Alexander Louis, arrived. From that moment on, the world has fawned over the cute little royal. Since then, Prince George gained not only a sister but a brother as well. He also began his royal education at Lambrook School. 

Finding out you might someday be king is no small potatoes, and Prince William waited a little before he gently told Prince George that he will wear the crown one day. Royal historian Robert Lacey told Marie Claire, "William has not revealed to the world how and when he broke the big news to his son. Maybe one day George will tell us the story himself. But sometime around the boy's seventh birthday in the summer of 2020, it is thought that his parents went into more detail about what the little prince's life of future royal 'service and duty' would particularly involve." Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis are next in line after George. 

Denmark is also a monarchy, with Queen Margrethe II maintaining the helm of one of the oldest monarchies in the world. Her firstborn, Crown Prince Frederik, is first in line for the throne; her grandson Prince Christian Valdemar Henri John is second. Margrethe's second-born son, Prince Joachim, is sixth in line. 

Born in 2005, Prince Christian is the first of four of Crown Prince Frederik's children, including his sister Princess Isabella, Prince Vincent, and Princess Josephine. Prince Christian would typically receive a royal pension on his 18th birthday, but he's currently forgoing it so that he can step back from royal duties while he works to continue his education, according to Fox News. However, that doesn't mean he will forgo his duties altogether; the prince will become more involved once he hits 21 and has secured the level of education a future ruler needs. 

In addition to Crown Prince Frederik's family, the Danish royals made waves in 2022 when the queen stripped the titles from Prince Joachim's children, making them counts and countess. Per Hello! magazine, the queen maintained the move was planned for a while to contribute to the success of the monarchy; however, it did bring further discord among the royal family. But Prince Joachim's family still maintains their royal succession status, meaning he's in line for the throne after his nieces and nephews. 

Known as the Dragon King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck became the king of the Buddhist country in 2008 when he was only in his late 20s. He went on to win the hearts of his people when he chose to marry the commoner, Jetsun Pema, according to BBC. The royal family celebrated the birth of their first son, Crown Prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck, in February 2016. He's also known as the Gyalsey, which means "prince."

The crown prince might be young, but that doesn't mean he isn't already learning the royal duties. At age 6, he accompanied his parents on several royal engagements, including the 400^th anniversary of the founding of the Central Monk Body of Bhutan. He also attended the opening of the tech and research laboratory, Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck Super FabLab, alone, according to Town and Country. The celebrated royal family also added a new member to their family in 2022 with the birth of Prince Jigme Ugyen Wangchuck.

Being the youngest current crown prince might be enough to make you stand out among the royal crowd, but the youngster also has another claim to fame. To celebrate his first birthday, an insect called the Meglestes gyalsey was named after him. Could you imagine your name living in science books for eternity?

While Thailand's government used to be an absolute monarchy, it converted to a constitutional monarchy in 1932, following in the footsteps of many other functioning monarchies across the globe.

Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti was born to King Maha Vajiralongkorn and his third wife, Srirasmi Suwadee. Per UPI, Srirasmi was stripped of her princess title and cast from the royal family after a number of her relatives, including her own parents, were accused of defaming the monarchy. She and the king divorced in 2014, and the following year, her parents were sent to prison. Needless to say, King Maha does not exactly have an amicable relationship with Prince Dipangkorn's mother. 

The youngest son of the king, Prince Dipangkorn, was born in 2005 and has four older half-brothers from his father's second marriage. However, those children were cast out upon his divorce, and the current prince became the presumptive heir to the throne. He is currently the only recognized son of the king, but he would lose his status if the king were to have a son with his current wife. Additionally, there's been speculation that his eldest sister, Princess Bajrakitiyabha, could be named the successor. The future of Prince Dipangkorn might not be secured within the monarchy, but he's preparing for his future by studying abroad and volunteering.