Prince William and Kate Middleton are at a crossroads over Prince George‘s future.
According to an insider, the Prince and Princess of Wales are struggling to figure out how to prepare their 12-year-old to one day become king.
William and Kate are having ‘difficult conversations’ about George
A source told Closer that William and Kate have different approaches to how they should be preparing George to be a leader.
“There’s an understanding that things will change after this summer and there are things that William and Kate don’t see eye to eye on,” the insider claimed.
“There’s been some difficult conversations about what happens next,” they continued. “George’s future as King has become very real — and there’s a definite difference of opinion.”
Kate is holding on to George’s childhood
While the former Duchess of Cambridge wants her eldest son to get the most out of his childhood, her husband wants George to start thinking about duty.
“William is very focused on making sure that George’s path to the throne is as smooth as possible, while Kate is desperately trying to keep hold of his old life for as long as she can,” the source claimed.
“At home, he’s still just George. He loves being outside, messing around with his siblings and doing ordinary kid stuff,” the insider said. “Kate holds onto that very tightly, because she knows these years are going by incredibly fast.”
Kate worries that there’s ‘no going back’
Once the future leader begins his journey to the throne, Kate fears he’ll lose out on other important life milestones.
Kate Middleton and Prince George attend Easter services in 2026. By: MEGA
“Kate wants him climbing trees, kicking a football around, and spending summers being a normal kid. She worries that once the royal machine starts, there’s no going back,” the source noted.
“But William is constantly thinking ahead,” they continued. “He knows exactly what it’s like growing up as the heir and he strongly believes George needs to be prepared emotionally and mentally.”
William wants George to be productive
Before George goes off to school, his dad wants to ensure he makes the most of his time.
Prince William, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis and Kate Middleton pose together in 2022. By: MEGA
“William wants George to grow up understanding service, responsibility and public duty from a young age,” the source noted.
“There’s definitely a plan for George to use the summer productively — getting involved in charity work, outdoor challenges,” they said.