<p id=”par-1_51″>The upcoming U.K. election could significantly impact <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/prince-george/”>Prince George</a>, <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/princess-charlotte/”>Princess Charlotte</a>, and <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/prince-louis/”>Prince Louis</a>’ futures. A proposal to make military service or volunteer work a requirement for all 18-year-olds is on the ballot. So, how might <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/kate-middleton/”>Kate Middleton</a> and <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/prince-william/”>Prince William</a>’s <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/george-charlotte-louis-following-new-rules-home-kate-middleton.html/”>three children</a> react? By embracing it, according to royal commentators. </p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-george-charlotte-and-louis-may-someday-see-joining-the-military-as-a-rite-of-passage-nbsp”>George, Charlotte, and Louis may someday see joining the military as ‘a rite of passage’ </h2>
<p id=”par-2_48″>A measure to bring back national service will be on the July 4, 2024, ballot in the U.K. Proposed by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, the plan would require 18-year-olds to do one of the following for a year: join the military or take part in local volunteer work. </p>
<p id=”par-3_41″>While discussing the proposal, royal expert Richard Kay told the <a href=”https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-13479853/Prince-George-Princess-Charlotte-Prince-Louis-not-exempt-Rishi-Sunaks-National-Service-plan-expert-tells-PALACE-CONFIDENTIAL.html” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Daily Mail</a> it may not change Louis, Charlotte, and George’s plans. “We can confidentially expect that George and Louis, at some stage, will do some form of military service,” he said.</p>
<p id=”par-4_31″>Kay went on to point out that not only did their father enter the British military, but so did their uncle, <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/prince-harry/”>Prince Harry</a>, as well as their grandfather, <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/king-charles/”>King Charles III</a>. </p>
<p id=”par-5_19″>“I think it is a tradition that will continue,” he added, noting the service would “be good for them.” </p>
<p id=”par-6_48″>As for how George, Charlotte, and Louis might feel about potentially having to volunteer or enter the military, royal expert Charlotte Griffiths thinks they’re likely to look at it fondly. So much so that it could be “a rite of passage,” she said on the <em>Palace Confidential</em> podcast. </p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-national-service-may-be-a-good-way-for-prince-william-and-kate-middleton-s-children-to-learn-about-working-royal-life”>National Service may be a good way for Prince William and Kate Middleton’s children to learn about ‘working royal life’</h2>
<figure class=”wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio” id=”emb-1″><div class=”wp-block-embed__wrapper”>
<iframe title=”The Princess of Wales launches Christmas Baby Banks initiative” width=”925″ height=”520″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/gvwLS2nGdO4?feature=oembed” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share” referrerpolicy=”strict-origin-when-cross-origin” allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>
<p id=”par-7_18″>Griffiths continued, calling National Service, were it to return, a potentially good thing for William and Kate’s children. </p>
<p id=”par-8_27″>“It would be a really nice way to introduce royals to working royal life,” she said, noting the “whole thing is a bit of a hypothetical date.” </p>
<p id=”par-9_40″>George would be the first of the Wales kids to enter the program as he’s the oldest, turning 18 in July 2031. Then comes his younger sister, Charlotte, who turns 18 in May 2032, and brother Louis in April 2035. </p>
<p id=”par-10_23″>The commentator also noted that British royals have “a longstanding policy of being down to earth and doing as the general population do[es].”</p>
<p id=”par-11_44″>Plus, as previously mentioned, the royal family has a history of entering the armed services. Queen Elizabeth II joined the army as Princess Elizabeth—the first woman in the royal family to hold a full-time military position— working as a mechanic during World War II. </p>
<p id=”par-12_44″>“I think the young royals would like to do it, actually,” Griffiths continued. “I would love to see them. I’d love to see Princess Charlotte one day when she’s 18 doing some military service or volunteering for the NHS ward. It would be great.”</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-the-first-british-royal-to-participate-in-the-program-could-be-prince-edward-and-sophie-s-son”>The first British royal to participate in the program could be Prince Edward and Sophie’s son </h2>
<figure class=”wp-block-image aligncenter size-full” id=”emb-2″><img decoding=”async” src=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/James-Earl-of-Wessex-who-could-be-the-first-British-royal-to-participate-in-mandatory-U.K.-military-service.webp?strip=all&quality=80″ alt=”James, Earl of Wessex, who could be the first British royal to participate in mandatory U.K. military service” class=”wp-image-3673572″><figcaption class=”wp-element-caption”>James, Earl of Wessex | Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images</figcaption></figure>
<div class=”related-articles”>
<span class=”related-article-flag”>Related</span>
<div class=”related-article”>
<img src=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Queen-Camilla-whom-a-royal-photograher-claims-to-have-shown-her-the-first-photo-of-newborn-Prince-Archie-on-their-phone-in-2024.jpg” alt=”Royal Photographer Remembers Showing Queen Camilla First Glimpse of Newborn Prince Archie on Their Phone During ‘Difficult Times’”>
<p class=”related-article__title”>
<a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/royal-photographer-remembers-showing-queen-camilla-first-glimpse-newborn-prince-archie-phone-difficult-times.html/”>
Royal Photographer Remembers Showing Queen Camilla First Glimpse of Newborn Prince Archie on Their Phone During ‘Difficult Times’ </a>
</p>
</div>
<div class=”related-article”>
<img src=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Prince-William-who-is-doing-the-Japanese-state-visit-greeting-without-Kate-Middleton-in-May-2024.jpg” alt=”Prince William’s Set to Kick off Japanese State Visit Without Kate Middleton”>
<p class=”related-article__title”>
<a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/prince-williams-set-kick-off-japanese-state-visit-without-kate-middleton.html/”>
Prince William’s Set to Kick off Japanese State Visit Without Kate Middleton </a>
</p>
</div>
</div>
<p id=”par-13_50″>If National Service gets revived in the U.K.—it’s a big if until election day—George won’t be the first of the younger generation of royals to try it out. Instead, it could be one of the late Queen Elizabeth II’s eight grandchildren who test it out first, James, Earl of Wessex. </p>
<p id=”par-14_54″>The youngest child of Prince Edward and Sophie, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, James is 16 at the time of writing. He’ll turn 18 in December 2025. That means if National Service returns, he could be serving in the British military or volunteering as early as a year and a half from now. </p>