Prince George will not be expected to serve in the army before becoming king, breaking centuries of tradition.
The second-in-line to the throne will be allowed to skip normal duty with the armed forces if he chooses, The Mail on Sunday understands, leaving him free to shape his own destiny.
It will be a significant departure for the royal family as the monarch is the commander-in-chief of Britain’s forces. George’s father, uncle, grandfather, great-grandfather and great-great-grandfather all served with the Army, upholding a centuries-old precedent.
Writing in today’s newspaper, historian Dominic Sandbrook said: ‘The tradition of royals joining the armed forces, even for short periods, gave the monarchy important legitimacy.’
But speaking ahead of Prince George’s 10th birthday on Saturday, Prince William, a long-time friend of George’s father, said: ‘In theory, there’s nothing to stop George starting a career as an astronaut, for example, if he does. wants, and then will be king.
Prince George will not be expected to serve in the army before becoming king, breaking centuries of tradition
William trained at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst and served in the armed forces for over seven years.
During the Second World War, the late Queen, as Princess Elizabeth, served with the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS), a part of the army where women could join for work that would free men for front-line duty.
King Charles (pictured Trooping the Color with Queen Camilla in June) served in both the Royal Navy and RAF between 1971 and 1976 while the Prince of Wales
‘The rules are different now, he doesn’t have to follow the old formula of going into the military and then into royal life.
‘So, could Charlotte qualify as a doctor, for example? I don’t see why not. There are fewer fish bowls now than when William and Harry were growing up.’
Historian Hugo Vickers said: ‘This is significant because it shows that time is moving forward. I’m all for people getting with the times, as long as they don’t throw tradition out the window.
‘Perhaps the military will not prove to be the best course for Prince George, although I would hope he could instead do something like the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award, which is non-competitive.
For King Charles, his naval service was very helpful in the 1970s. This showed the country that he was gainfully employed and that this was a role in which he would not use his surname for commercial gain.
‘Military service allows members of the royal family to lead a normal life, gives them a certain amount of freedom and teaches them all kinds of time-keeping and presentation skills that prove vital to royal duties.
‘It clearly doesn’t work for members of the royal family to go into business. That is always wrong.’
George showed some early interest in the military at the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire on Friday. He was tasked with partially raising the ramp on a massive C-17 transporter plane, and was delighted to sit in the cockpit and ‘flick some switches’.
Last month, George was spotted looking around Eton with his parents, sparking speculation that he may be following in his father’s footsteps at the elite school.
The late Queen was keen to ensure that both of her grandsons would succeed to serve in Afghanistan, although sending William later proved too risky. Photo: Prince Harry in Afghanistan
Although Prince George’s future career is still far off, those close to the Prince and Princess of Wales say they want their children to be free to pursue their interests.
However, her parents the Prince and Princess of Wales are determined to give her as ‘normal’ an upbringing as possible – this, it turns out, includes the freedom to pursue her own interests as she grows up.
Mr Sandbrook added: ‘Military service is the last tradition that takes royal youths out of the impossible privileges of their sheltered lives.’ But he admitted: ‘Times change, and institutions change with them… Who can blame him if he pursues a different career?’
General Sir Richard Barons, former head of the Joint Forces Command, said: ‘I think the armed forces will think it’s a bit of a shame but that’s what they’re thinking.’
But he added that a military service was a useful way out for a young royal ‘in the years between when you become an adult and when you take over as king’. And Royal biographer AN Wilson came out against the idea, saying: ‘It’s a very big change from the way it’s always been done and I think he should say, “Sorry, you can’t choose.”
‘It seems a bit sloppy to the armed forces. Another way could be where Prince George serves in the army and then goes on to become an artist or pastry chef or whatever interests him. A matter which may seem trivial, it is also helpful to have a uniform, otherwise we might as well have a president in a suit as head of state.’
The late Queen was keen to ensure that both of her grandsons would succeed to serve in Afghanistan, although sending William later proved too risky.
In an ITV documentary in April, General Sir Mike Jackson, the former army chief, spoke of an audience with his late majesty: ‘He was very articulate. He said, “My grandsons have taken my shilling, so they must do their duty.” And that was it. It was decided that William, as the heir, risked too much. But the risk was acceptable for his younger brother.’
The second in line to the throne will be allowed to skip normal duty with the armed forces if he wishes, The Mail on Sunday understands, leaving him free to shape his own destiny.
William trained at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst and served in the armed forces for over seven years. He was attached to the Blues and Royals regiments of the Household Cavalry and trained as a pilot at the RAF College, becoming a full-time pilot with the search and rescue team at RAF Valley in Anglesey, North Wales.
Harry also went to Sandhurst before joining the Blues and Royals. He served two tours of duty in Afghanistan as an Apache helicopter pilot. In his memoir Spare, he said he killed 25 Taliban fighters. He also said his service taught him to ‘grow up quite quickly’, adding: ‘The bubble I grew up in burst.’
Harry is the first member of the royal family to serve in combat since his uncle Prince Andrew, who flew helicopters during the 1982 Falklands conflict. The Duke has since been stripped of his honorary military role.
King Charles served in both the Royal Navy and RAF between 1971 and 1976 while Prince of Wales. He served on the guided missile destroyer HMS Norfolk, qualified as a helicopter pilot and took command of a coastal minehunter for ten months.
Her father, Prince Philip, attended Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, Devon, when she was 17, and famously took Princess Elizabeth when she came to visit when she was 13. He served on HMS Valiant and saw action against North Africa. He was cited in the dispatch for ‘courage and enterprise’ by training the warship’s searchlight on enemy targets.
But his distinguished military career ended when he gave it up to support his wife after she became queen.
During the Second World War, the late Queen, as Princess Elizabeth, served with the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS), a part of the army where women could join for work that would free men for front-line duty. She joined at the age of 19, the first female member of the royal family to serve on active duty, and trained as a driver and mechanic.
The King’s younger brother, Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, did not serve in the military but spent time as a Royal Marine officer cadet after leaving university.
Although Prince George’s future career is still far off, those close to the Prince and Princess of Wales say they want their children to be free to pursue their interests. In the spirit of keeping the upbringing as normal as possible, the Princess of Wales will bake a cake for George’s tenth birthday next weekend, while the Prince has invited friends from school to a party.
Last month, George was spotted looking around Eton with his parents, sparking speculation that he may be following in his father’s footsteps at the elite school.
A source close to the palace said: ‘If Wales’ three children have any particular passion, their parents will be happy for them.’
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