• Prince William learned from a young age that he would bear the responsibility of future king.
• He’s keen to allow his eldest son, Prince George, to enjoy as much of a childhood as he possibly can.
• There’s plenty of time ahead for duty and responsibility. It’s best to let children be children.

If anyone knows a thing or two about taking on massive responsibility at an early age, it’s Prince William.

The eldest son of Prince Charles and Princess Diana not only had to live with the knowledge that he was being groomed as future king, but that an entire country would be watching on.

Of course, this is precisely the same rite of passage that Prince Charles himself went through.

And it’s the same one young Prince George will experience. But not quite yet if reports are to be believed.

Prince William is looking to protect young Prince George’s childhood for as long as he can

A royal expert claims that after struggling with the enormity of his own future as a child, Prince William is looking to delay the inevitable for as long as possible when it comes to Prince George.

It’s a subject William has addressed previously, claiming:

There’ll be a time and a place to bring George up and understand how he fits in, in the world.

Author of Charles: The Heart of a King, Catherine Mayer, also told E! News: 

With George, they are trying to delay that moment of realization and give him normality before they thrust this on him. But it will be, nevertheless, part of his upbringing both in terms of what he sees his parents and grandparents doing and probably quite soon a beginning of an understanding that he is in public life and what that means.

Prince William knows all too well the trials of a life of expectation from a young age

As a teenager, Prince William was already in training for his eventual role as king, working with his grandmother, the Queen.

Robert Lacey, advisor to Netflix for The Crown, claimed: 

There has always been a special closeness between William and the Queen, and she has taken a particular interest in him. When William became a teenager, she would have him at Windsor Castle and would open the state boxes and guide him through the papers. It was William’s constitutional education.

This was followed by a stint working with the British government. Lasting two years, the intensive program included briefings with the Prime Minister of the time.

So if anyone knows the burden of such responsibility, it’s Prince William. And while he’s undoubtedly keen on Prince George learning the ropes, he’s also aware that childhood is important.

Allowing young Prince George to be a child is important. There will be time enough for responsibility

I feel the decision taken by Prince William and Duchess Kate Middleton to ride out Prince George’s childhood for as long as possible is the right one.

While he will have to be made aware of the difference between him and his siblings, there’s no need to rush him to that stage.

For now, he’s just a little boy, and the longer he can spend doing what little boys do, the better.

Not just for him, but the country. A king with a settled childhood and stable upbringing will be better placed to deal with the pressures of life in the royal spotlight.