Proof That Prince George Is Growing Up To Be His Dad's Twin
Being second in line to the British throne might already be enough for you to proclaim that George, Prince of Wales, is one of the luckiest kids in the world. However, the little one's charmed life doesn't stop there. Not only is he set up for a life of fame, wealth, and luxury, but it seems that the eldest of this new generation of royals is also enjoying a particularly close relationship with his dad, Prince William.
While the private dynamics of the British royal family remain just that — private — there are hints that the two princes share an incredibly tight bond and that Prince George is being molded to be a miniature version of his successful father. In fact, Catherine, Princess of Wales, has even spearheaded a high-profile foundation that highlights the important role fathers play in the emotional well-being of their children. Clearly, William plays a major role in George's life.
From their flaxen hair to their similar hobbies to the way they hold themselves with poise during engagements, it appears that Prince George is growing up to be his father's lookalike in more ways than one. As the little royal is soon to leave childhood behind and enter his teen years, let's take a look at all the signs of what kind of king Prince George might become.
That famous red smocked suit
While attending baby sister Princess Charlotte's christening ceremony back in 2015, Prince George stole the show. And how could he not? After all, the little royal arrived in an adorable outfit nearly identical to one worn by his father, Prince William, decades prior.
The "traditional" set, as designer Rachel Riley describes it on her website, consists of a hand-smocked cream colored shirt with red detailing along the chest and collar. The matching shorts come in a bright red color and also feature tiny, white buttons dotted around the waist for that extra detailed touch. While not exactly the same as his father's version, George's outfit was almost certainly chosen with William's red suit in mind. Whatever the minute differences, the public didn't seem to care, as the smock set was sold out within hours of the christening.
Prince William's version of the suit was also chosen for a similarly sentimental occasion, as the tiny tot debuted — and subsequently made famous — the suit when he visited the Lindo Wing to baby brother, Prince Harry, for the first time back in September of 1984. It seems this outfit was chosen deliberately to echo that original sweet sibling moment, showing us that Prince George is definitely being raised with his father's childhood in mind. And can we blame them? Tiny William certainly turned out the looks in the '80s.
Prince William and Prince George are true blue
There are certain similarities between a man and his son that can be taught, like recruiting the kid to play a certain sport or making sure he grows up listening to classical music. Genetics, on the other hand, cannot be controlled. For example, just because a father-to-be has red hair doesn't necessarily mean that his progeny's locks will match.
However, for Prince William and his eldest son, Prince George, the genetic similarities are apparent. With his bright blond hair and blue eyes, there's no denying that the little prince is growing up to the spitting image of his fair-haired dad.
This physical likeness was especially on display when Prince George was photographed traveling to London's Lindo Wing to greet his mother and newborn baby sister, Princess Charlotte, back in 2015. Father and son wore matching light blue sweaters for the occasion that brought out their matching blond hair and blue eyes, with little George also donning matching pale blue socks. Snuggled up tight in his father's arms, the little royal may have been a bit confused by the cameras, but there's no denying that he was home sweet home in his lookalike father's arms.
Royal preschool style
While the British monarchy has reportedly been making attempts to modernize the institution and "slim down" their roster, we can see from the way Prince George is being raised that many aspects of life in the Firm is business as usual. One of these aspects is the way the new generation of royal children are being educated.
With paparazzi following the royals' every move, the public were able to witness that, even before reaching his fifth year, Prince George was already receiving an education fit for a young prince, just like his dad at his age. While Prince George was not enrolled into the same primary school that Prince William attended as a tot, the father and son duo sported nearly identical uniforms.
When he was a youngster, Prince William was snapped posing alongside Prince Harry and his mother, Princess Diana, on his first day at Wetherby School. With his little brother by his side, the future Prince of Wales was sporting a dark gray blazer, a bright crimson tie, and a matching gray and red hat with the school's crest on the cap. History repeated itself in 2017 when Prince George was photographed alongside his father on his own first day of school. The 4-year-old smiled wide for the camera in his dark navy jumper that also featured crimson details and the crest of his own primary school, Thomas's Battersea.
Prince George is a pro at public engagements
Whenever a royal ventures out of their mansion gates, they can expect to be greeted with flashing camera bulbs, screaming fans, and several pairs of hands thrusting out bouquets of flowers. For this reason, Prince William and Princess Catherine have been careful about when and where they exposed their children to the public when they were still small tykes.
However, now that the eldest Wales child is a little older, there's always a chance you'll see him with his parents at public events. It's no surprise that the Prince and Princess of Wales have started to introduce Prince George to this side of royal life, as engagements and royal walkabouts will become an even bigger part of his life if he is to take up the mantle of future king of England.
Although he has only been to a few formal engagements so far, the little prince has proved that he's able to handle these interactions with a sense of poise and friendliness beyond his years. In fact, a children's clothes designer named Amaia Arrieta, who has been involved in dressing all three Wales children in the past, told Vanity Fair that he is becoming more comfortable in public. "I think George knows the drill by now," she said. He really sounds like a Prince William in the making.
He's already donned military-inspired garments
For his uncle Prince Harry's 2018 wedding to Meghan Markle, the young Prince of Wales was seen wearing a miniature version of his dad's black military suit and jacket on the steps of the Windsor Castle chapel. While he may not yet be old enough to enlist, like his father did in 2006, Prince George looked right at home in his crisp suit.
Unlike his son's ensemble, Prince William's frock coat uniform told the story of his military career. An emblem of wings symbolized his time flying in the Royal Air Force, while the ribbons attached to his suit jacket represented the Queen's Golden Jubilee and The Queen's Diamond Jubilee. Perhaps the most prestigious adornments the prince wore to his brother's wedding was the Garter star, which he was afforded as a member of the Order of the Garter, and shoulder straps that included Queen Elizabeth II's cypher. This was allowed as Prince William is considered an aide-de-camp to the queen.
Although Prince George's suit is void of any of these special royal adornments, it wouldn't be out of the realm of belief to imagine that one day the little Prince of Wales might be photographed attending a future royal wedding bearing similar symbols to that on his father's 2018 suit. However, for now, his youth didn't stop the 4-year-old from looking the picture of royalty. His outfit featured a long-sleeved black tunic and black trousers fit with a bright, militaristic red stripe down the side.
The little prince might be Eton-bound
From sports, to friendships, to university prep, choosing a high school — or, a secondary school, as the Brits would say — is perhaps one of the most monumental decisions a parent can make when bringing up their teen. As parents, both Prince William and Princess Catherine face these same pressures, and it seems preparations have already begun to place Prince George at the most advantageous secondary school possible.
In the summer of 2023, photographers caught sight of Catherine, Princess of Wales, and the then-9-year-old George visiting the prestigious boys' boarding school Eton College, where both his father and Prince Harry attended when they were teenagers. The following January, an unnamed source claimed to the Daily Mail that while Catherine was not on board with Eton, George will most likely attend the school when the time comes.
While no final decision on Prince George's schooling has been announced to the public, it turns out that attending Eton could be a way of honoring a tradition started by his late grandmother. When Princess Diana enrolled Prince William into Eton in 1995, she was bucking a long-held trend, as both Prince Charles and the late Prince Philip had attended a different boarding school in Scotland called Gordonstoun. Although only time can tell which school Prince George's family will choose in the end, it wouldn't be a huge surprise to see him attending Eton like his father before him.
He is already a world traveler
The young Prince George has already flown around the world and back again. Just as the infant Prince William took his first overseas trip to Australia in 1983 when he was still in diapers, Prince George followed in his dad's footsteps when he was first fastened into his private jet booster seat in 2014.
Like his father before him, Prince George's first overseas trip took place in Oceania. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, as his parents were called at the time, made their first stop in New Zealand with their 8-month-old son in tow. In the span of three weeks, the family of three — along with members of their staff — traveled to major cities in both New Zealand and Australia. While this was essentially a business trip for the young working royals, for Prince George it was his debut on the world stage.
The affair was surely a nostalgic one for Prince William, who made numerous headlines as an infant when he, too, was ferried across New Zealand and Australia. When Princess Diana insisted on taking her firstborn on the international trip, it was a bold departure from royal tradition. In decades past, royal babies had always stayed on home turf while their parents traveled. By repeating Princess Diana's parenting choices, the then-Duke and Duchess of Cambridge made a point to the public that their little prince would, in fact, be raised just like Diana's little prince.
Like his dad, Prince George also love sports
The older Prince George gets, the more in common he seems to have with his dad, Prince William. While the younger prince is inevitably going to have life experiences that resemble that of his father, who also grew up in the sometimes harsh royal spotlight, one hobby that just might serve as a shared escape from all the outside noise is sports.
During public engagements, Prince William and Prince Catherine have been quoted speaking openly about their eldest's love of sport. In 2023, triathlete Non Stanford told the PA (via Marie Claire) that Prince William said George has taken up triathlon training at school. And according to Hello!, Princess Catherine spoke with rugby fans at a Wales vs. England Six Nations rugby match that same year about how her eldest son "has the physique" for rugby and has been learning the rules.
Although he seems to be trying his hand at multiple athletic activities, it also seems that soccer — or, as it's called in England, football — is the young boy's first love. To cheer on England in the Euro 2020 tournament, Prince George was the spitting image of his dad as they wore matching navy blazers with red and white ties, the colors of the English flag. Together, father and son cheered on their team with gusto, with fans even spotting William having to comfort his football-loving boy when their opponents eventually won the match.
His body language is that of a leader
With two younger siblings trailing behind him at every engagement and an entire nation's eyes on him, Prince George already seems to be a leader-in-training. According to experts, the little prince's body language seems to be that of a confident and self-assured young kid.
Could this be a sign of the type of leader he will grow up to be? Body language expert Judi James even went so far as to tell Express that she believes Prince George is mimicking his father's mannerisms and facial expressions. It wouldn't be a surprise to learn that the young prince has modeled his public persona after his father, as Prince William is a natural role model for his son. Having had nearly a lifetime of experience in greeting and conversing with the public, Prince William is one of the few people who can relate to the pressure Prince George must be feeling.
From the acne to braces to growing pains and sore limbs, it's difficult enough to transition from childhood to your teenage years. Now imagine throwing a busy schedule of public meet-and-greets into the mix. The fact that Prince George might already be looking to his father for tips and tricks on dealing with his unique position shows that not only is he in good hands, but that he is also eager to accept the mantle of being the Prince of Wales.
Prince George might be an aviation lover
According to The Standard's palace sources, Prince George has been "helicopter crazy" ever since he was 4 years old. The royal tyke has a storied history with air bases and aircraft, as he was first photographed exploring a helicopter in 2016 when his parents took the then-toddler to the Royal Air Show in Fairford. It seems the show was a hit with the young prince, as the very next year the then-Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arranged for a bevy of choppers to entertain their eldest while the family was traveling in Hamburg.
While Prince William has yet to speak out about his son's interest in air travel, one can guess that the former helicopter pilot is more than willing to encourage Prince George's fascination. During his time in the Armed Forces, Prince William worked for the Royal Air Force Search and Rescue Force as well as the East Anglian Air Ambulance. With his father spending many years up in the clouds, it wouldn't be a shock to find out that Prince George might be dreaming of flying up into the great blue beyond one day as well.
In fact, bystanders heard Prince William encouraging his son's aircraft fascination during the 2023 Trooping the Colour. According to the Daily Mail, the royal family stood on the balcony of Buckingham Palace observing the festivities, the young prince could be heard excitedly identifying aircraft that flew overhead. While George's exact words couldn't be made out, Prince William reportedly responded, "yes it is, good boy!"
His relatives shower him with gifts
From the time he was born, Prince George was already living a lavish life. With some of the wealthiest people in England as his close relatives and family friends, the young Prince of Wales has long been spoiled with incredibly expensive gifts. His grandfather, King Charles, gifted the youngster a £18,000 playhouse, while another of his posh playthings was reportedly a hand-me-down from his father: a miniature dark green model Aston Martin.
His car collection didn't stop there, either. Although it would be over a decade until the little prince would be able to take his driving test, it was reported that his uncle, Prince Harry, also gifted Prince George an electric SUV back in 2017. It seems Prince William is not oblivious to his son's privileged upbringing either. When Prince George was just 3, his father was asked by a member of the public about what presents the little boy would be receiving for his birthday. As per the Independent, the then-Duke of Cambridge jokingly responded by saying that the tot was "far too spoiled."
However, growing up with his own well-connected, wealthy family members, Prince William is no stranger to the charmed life. In fact, when Prince William turned one in 1983, he was left with his nanny while Prince Charles and Princess Diana sailed the Canadian seas on their royal yacht Britannia. While Prince George's family seems to be more close-knit, the level of privilege seems to have stayed the same.
Prince George has the patriotic spirit
While he is growing up in today's modern age, it seems that Prince George is retaining some of that old-fashioned British love of queen and country. During the 2022 Platinum Jubilee, eagle-eyed fans spotted George and his younger siblings bowing their heads to the British national anthem at the arrival of the Horse Guards Parade during the day's festivities.
The moment was made even more poignant by the fact that it was Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis' first ever carriage procession as part of the special Platinum Jubilee season. Later on Prince Louis was even spotted saluting to his father, Prince William, as the Prince of Wales marched in with the Irish Guards. Prince George leads the way in patriotism, though, with the eldest Wales child also spotted singing his heart out to the national anthem during a sporting event.
Accompanied by his mom and dad, the little prince made royal fans' day as he was seen standing by the pair's side at the England v Wales rugby match at Twickenham in 2022. Any public sighting of the blonde-haired prince is enough to make headlines, but this one was made extra special by the fact that Prince George was seen to take part in an enthusiastic show of British patriotism. With his royal-by-blood father by his side, Prince George was filmed singing every word to "God Save The Queen," showing that he's being raised to be a proud Englishman just like Prince William.
He's learning the value of giving back
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Prince William taught his eldest son a very important lesson in the value of giving back. Over the course of nine weeks in 2020, the "Clap for our Carers" campaign took over England. With strict lockdowns in place all over the country and no immediate end in sight, this event saw millions of people standing at their windows and outside their front doors putting their hands together in honor of the country's health workers.
In a significant show of solidarity, Prince William, Princess Catherine, and their three children joined in on the trend by gathering outside Anmer Hall, their country estate in Norfolk, to clap for all the doctors, nurses, and other frontline workers who were being hit the hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic at the time. For the occasion, the family of five also dressed in matching shades of blue, the signature hue of the National Health Service (NHS).
While Prince George was too young to fully understand the significance of his family supporting the NHS, his parents modeling charitable behavior early on makes the little prince more likely to understand the importance of giving back in his later years. It seems the future king is in good hands when it comes to modeling moral behavior as well, as this was just one small show of gratitude in a long list of charity outreach efforts that Prince William partakes in on an annual basis.