On Saturday, for the UK’s Festival of Remembrance event, we got two surprises. One, Prince William refused to attend the annual event, which is always scheduled for the Saturday before Remembrance Sunday. Two, the Princess of Wales attended the concert alongside her eldest child, Prince George. George turned 12 years old over the summer, and it was yet another event for which he was singled out from his siblings and made to do a public appearance at a formal or state event. I wondered if it was decided at the last minute that George should go, just as I wondered if William decided at the last minute to skip. All in all, strange optics for a pretty major royal event. But according to Katie Nicholl, everything is going to plan:
On Saturday, Prince George joined his mother, Kate Middleton, for the Festival of Remembrance at London’s Royal Albert Hall, marking a major milestone in the young royal’s public life. The 12-year-old looked confident in a suit and tie while standing in for his father, Prince William, who was traveling home from the COP30 UN Climate Change Conference in Brazil.
It was Prince George’s first time at the annual event, which honors the service and sacrifice of the British and Commonwealth Armed Forces. Sources tell Vanity Fair that the Prince and Princess of Wales felt it was “appropriate” for Prince George, who will one day be Head of the Armed Forces when he becomes king, attend the important occasion as it will prepare him for the role that lies ahead.
“It is all part of a carefully considered plan to bring George onto the public stage in a way that the family is comfortable with,” says a royal insider. “As second in line to the throne, George needs to understand the importance of occasions like this. It was deemed appropriate and significant for him to be there, particularly in his father’s absence. Both William and Catherine felt this was the right moment for George to be there.”
Prince George’s introduction to the public has been gradual. After being sheltered from the spotlight during his early childhood, the public has seen more of the shy prince in recent years.
“It was deemed appropriate and significant for him to be there, particularly in his father’s absence…” I mean… it certainly softened the story about “why in the world did William skip?” And that’s what they’re talking around as well – that it was decided to send out a 12-year-old child because his 43-year-old father was too lazy to attend an annual event on every working royal’s schedule every single year. I understand the idea behind “getting George used to public events in a more low-key way,” but it then begs the question, why not include him during the events at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday?
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
