George alongside mum Kate and younger sister Princess Charlotte (Image: WireImage)

As he turns 12, as well as the prospect of joining a new school next year, George is of an age when “the reality of his destiny has begun to hit home”, according to former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond.

Jennie tells 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. 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.

Prince George at Wimbledon earlier this month (Image: PA)

“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.”

In May, George completed his most high-profile royal outing to date when he attended commemorations to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day. Alongside Charlotte and Louis, he mingled with veterans to watch a military parade and made an appearance on the Buckingham Palace balcony for the RAF flypast.

George is guided by dad Prince William (Image: PA)

In a major step when it comes to his royal life, he joined his parents in chatting to Second World War heroes at a Buckingham Palace tea party. He listened intently to their important stories and asked questions about their experiences.

Last month, George also joined his grandfather, King Charles, for Trooping the Colour, riding in a carriage and, once again, appearing on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for another impressive RAF flypast.

Of course, George doesn’t have to walk this path alone, with Kate and William with him every step of the way as he approaches his teenage years. Even though his public profile will only increase, George’s parents are determined for him and his siblings to have as normal an upbringing as possible.

This means completing his education like any other young boy, attending football matches with William to watch their beloved Aston Villa, and only appearing at the most prestigious of royal events.

George at a tea party for VE Day veterans earlier this year(Image: Getty Images)

However, nobody knows more about how important a child’s early years are in shaping their later lives than Kate — something she has, no doubt, put into practice with her own children.

Jennie says: “I think George’s close and loving relationship with his parents will prove invaluable as he continues to grow up. Catherine is now such an expert on how children develop and the emotions they go through: her support and advice for George will continue to be a key factor in his wellbeing.”

One royal who, Jennie believes, will have set an example on how to raise a future King is the mother-in-law Kate never met — Diana. Her approach to parenting, which completely ripped up the royal rule book, saw her insist that William and Harry were shown a life outside of palace walls, while at the same time ensuring they both understood the enormity of their positions.

She memorably took her sons to McDonald’s, forced them to wait in line like everybody else during days out at theme parks, and even took them to homeless shelters to expose them to life outside the royal bubble.

Prince George with the rest of the Royal Family on the Buckingham Palace balcony(Image: Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)

Those childhood visits clearly had an effect on William, now 43, who has publicly declared his ambition is to end homelessness and admits he, too, would be open to taking George to meet those who are experiencing homelessness.

Jennie believes that Diana’s approach, as well as allowing her children to be normal boys, will have no doubt been an influence on William — and, in turn, Kate — regarding how to raise George. She adds: “I think William has drawn on the openly loving and tactile relationship he had with his mother to help him bring up his own children.

“He will remember how Diana insisted that her boys should know more about the real world than royal princes before them. She made them aware of having play days and work days. On play days, they could wear jeans, eat burgers and enjoy go-karting. On work days, they had to dress and behave as princes of the realm.

George with his mum

“I think William has made sure that his own children have as many play days as possible, but he and Catherine have also gradually introduced them to the formal world of being royal.

“However, there is plenty of time to get him used to the idea that his will be a very public role for the rest of his life. I’m sure we’ll see him from time to time, especially with all the emotional turmoil he must have been through in the past 18 months with his mother’s illness, he deserves to enjoy what’s left of his childhood away from the public gaze as much as possible.”

The coming weeks are likely to see speculation ramp up about which secondary school George will attend, and Jennie believes it will be a tough decision for William and Kate, who will be considering what is best for Charlotte and Louis as well.

But for now, the Prince and Princess of Wales will no doubt focus on celebrating George’s 12th birthday, with plenty of treats in store for the young lad.

She explains: “George is lucky to have been born in high summer and during what is normally the school holidays. So the family is free to enjoy an all-day celebration as the young prince stands on the threshold of becoming a teenager.

“It’s a day they may well want to share with Granny and grandad Middleton, and perhaps with their Middleton cousins. Perhaps a family barbecue? A few games in the garden. A beach picnic? Or maybe an adventure. We have learned that George has already had a flying lesson, so perhaps he’ll be gifted more. That would be super cool for a tweenager.”