Prince George of Wales
Prince George of Wales (George Alexander Louis; born 22 July 2013) is a member of the British royal family. He is the eldest child of William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales. George is the eldest grandchild of King Charles III and is second in the line of succession to the British throne behind his father.
George was born at St Mary's Hospital in London during the reign of his paternal great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II and was third in the line before her death. His birth was widely celebrated across the Commonwealth realms due to the expectation that he will eventually become king.
Infancy
Prince George was born on 22 July 2013 in St Mary's Hospital, London, at 16:24 BST, during the reign of paternal great-grandmother Elizabeth II, as the first child of Prince William and Catherine, then known as Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
George's birth was annouced by press release and was followed by the displayed of a traditional easel in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace. The birth was celebrated in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms and the new-born widely hailed as a future king in the majority of British newspapers. On 24 July, his name was announced as George Alexander Louis.
George was third in the line of succession to the British throne at the time of his birth. For the first time since the reign of Queen Victoria, three generations in direct line of succession to the British throne were alive at the same time: George; his father, William; and William's father, Charles. George was christened on 23 October 2013 by Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, in the Chapel Royal at St James's Palace.
Upbringing
Prince George spent his first months at his parents' cottage on the grounds of Bodorgan Hall in Anglesey, Wales, before his family relocated to Kensington Palace in 2014. George embarked on his first royal tour with his parents in April 2014, during which the Cambridges spent three weeks in New Zealand and Australia. Although he appeared only twice, the BBC described the "nine-month-old future king" as "the star of the show." The then Prime Minster of Australia Tony Abbott predicted in the Parliament House, Canberra, that George would one day be welcomed there as King of Australia. Australian media called him "the republican slayer," after polls showed the lowest support for republicanism in the country for 35 years.
In June 2015, George made his first public appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace following the Trooping the Colour parade. From 2015 to 2017, the family lived at Anmer Hall in Norfolk, where George started at West Acre Montessori School Nursery in January 2016.
On 22 April 2016, George met then U.S. President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama. The encounter later prompted Barack Obama to joke that "Prince George showed up to our meeting in his bathrobe...a clear breach of protocol."
George started primary school under the name George Cambridge in September 2017 at Thomas's School in Battersea. In 2022, the family relocated to Adelaide Cottage in Windsor Park. Since September 2022, George and his siblings, Charlotte and Louis, have attended Lambrook, an independent preparatory school in Berkshire.
George took part in his great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee celebration in June 2020, including the Trooping the Colour carriage procession.
She died on 8 September 2022 and was succeeded by George's grandfather King Charles III. George moved up to second in line for the throne, behind his father. On 6 May the following year, George served as a page of honor at his grandfather's coronation.
George and his siblings occasionally accompanied their parents on royal engagements, tours, and diplomatic visits.
Public Image
Clothing and other products used by George are often sold out, which has been termed as the "Prince George effect." His parents have been adamant about maintaining their son's privacy as he grows up.
In August 2015, Kensington Palace stated that they wanted all global media to stop taking unauthorized photographs of George, saying that "a line [had] been crossed " in paparazzi methods of locating and photographing him, including surveillance the family and sending children to bring George into view.
In the British satirical sketch program Newzoids, Prince George was depicted as a rebellious, foul-mouthed character with a lewd sense of humor. The 2016 children's book Winnie-the-Pooh Meets the Queen, written in honor of the 90th birthdays of both Queen Elizabeth II and the fictional character of Winnie-the-Pooh, features a cameo appearance from Prince George, to whom Piglet presents a red balloon.
The 2021 animated sitcom The Prince stars a fictionalized eight-year-old Prince George (voiced by showrunner Gary Janetti) who makes life difficult for his family and for the British monarchy. The show was cancelled in February 2022 after the first series drew criticism for satirize children.
Titles and Styles
22 July 2013-8 September 2022: His Royal Highness Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge
8 September 2022-9 September 2022 His Royal Highness Prince George Alexander Louis of Cornwall and Cambridge
9 September 2022 His Royal Highness Prince George Alexander Louis of Wales
House: Windsor
Religion: Church of England
