The Tradition Royal Insiders Expect Kate Middleton & Prince William's Son To Uphold As King

While Prince George is already a spitting image of his father, William, Prince of Wales, it's only a matter of time until he embodies William completely. As an heir to the British throne, George will have a very similar trajectory to the crown as Prince William has thus far. It has been said that the prince will attend Eton College — his dad's alma mater — but there are doubts over whether he will serve in the military, like his predecessors. According to former royal butler Grant Harrold, it would be a historic change to the monarchy if he did not join the armed forces.

"Historically, royals were all about fighting battles and if suddenly that stops, that would be quite significant because that's a big part of what the Royal Family is about," Harrold told Marie Claire. George's father and uncle, Prince Harry, attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst; William eventually served in the Royal Air Force as a search-and-rescue pilot, while his brother spent two tours in Afghanistan with the British army. George's grandfather, the king, served in the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy in the '70s. Even Queen Elizabeth II served in the Auxiliary Territorial Service during WWII. In short, military service has been a rite of passage for the royal family for centuries.

However, with a changing modern world, Harrold wonders if Catherine, Princess of Wales, and William's children will stay with tradition. "It is possible that [George] could take on the position of being head of the Armed Forces [as king] and have little or no experience within their armed forces, and learn about it on the job," he said, noting, "But it would be very strange if he stopped the tradition in the military."

Prince William hasn't been quiet in denouncing some of the traditional ways he was raised. In a tell-all interview with Eugene Levy — which reportedly didn't help tensions with King Charles — he criticized his upbringing and promised that his son won't have the same experience. According to British historian and author Robert Lacey, who spoke to People, William and Princess Kate "deliberately delayed" discussing George's royal fate so he did not have the pressure of his impending rule on his shoulders in early childhood. Instead, he was given time to experience a somewhat normal upbringing.

"He wants his children to have more freedom and a more normal life," an inside source told News Nation of William. "After Princess Diana died, his and Harry's life was very restricted. They were confined to school, the army and the palace walls." Thus, it wouldn't be outrageous to assume George's father would let him decide his military destiny. However, William has previously opened up about how his service gave him a sense of freedom. While discussing his desire to serve in Afghanistan with the BBC in 2010, the prince said of himself and Harry: "We want to see the stuff, we want to see the real stuff, we want to do the real stuff." It is possible that, while giving his son the right to choose, William will advise him to join the armed forces for the experience.