Prince George is about to be heading into the summer holidays, and while the Prince and Princess Of Wales will be enjoying some time with their family, they'll also be setting themselves up for a huge decision.
George turns 12 on the 22 July, and will be starting his last year of primary school at Lambrook School along with his younger siblings in September.
You may be wondering why the royal is still at primary school given the fact that he's now nearly 12, but that's because the prestigious school - which can set parents back around £8,238 per term - keeps students until they're 13 years old.
George is now poised to enter into his final year there, meaning Kate Middleton and Prince William will be facing some big decisions over his future.
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There has reportedly been a back-and-forth discussion over which secondary school George should attend, and whether he should follow in the footsteps of his mother or his father.
Prince William attended Eton College, while the Princess of Wales attended Marlborough College.
According to the Daily Mail, it looks like Eton may be the winner, due to being located 'conveniently near the family home in Windsor'.
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The palace is expected to announce the decision in the coming weeks, before Prince George will start his education there in 2026.
It had been thought he would attend Marlborough because girls can also attend, meaning his younger sister could later join him there. However, one insider has claimed, 'I know something and the people at Eton know something, but I’m not going to tell you'.
The Mail reported George visited Eton with his parents and the trip was 'the talk of the school, and of the parents', with the source adding there is a 'smugness' at Eton over the apparent decision.
Turning 12 is also a landmark age for another reason for the future king.
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According to royal protocol, he and his siblings will no longer be allowed to travel on a plane together in case the unthinkable happens and the plane crashes.
The seriousness of his future is also setting in, according to one royal expert, as 'the reality of his destiny has begun to hit home'.
That's according to the former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond, who told the Mirror: "He tends to look rather serious when he’s ‘on parade’ these days. Charlotte looks demure, Louis looks impish, but George sometimes looks rather preoccupied to me.
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"And who can blame him? It is an extraordinary prospect to know that one day you will be taking on the huge role that you are now watching your grandfather perform.
"But he’s not, by any means, always a serious little chap. When he’s with his dad at a football match, or fooling around with his siblings and his father, he has a wonderful smile on his face, and seems happy and relaxed."
George has begun to take on more public appearances as his parents prepare him for royal life.
He attended the event put on to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day, before joining his parents to talk to Second World War heroes at a tea party at Buckingham Palace tea party.
Topics: Royal Family, Prince George, Kate Middleton
Jen Thomas