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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 Charles III and second in the line of succession to the British throne behind his father.

George was born at St Mary's Hospital, London, during the reign of his paternal great-grandmother, Elizabeth II, and was third in 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 at 16:24 BST on 22 July 2013 in St Mary's Hospital, London, during the reign of his paternal great-grandmother Elizabeth II. He was the first child of Prince William and Catherine, then Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. His birth was announced by press release and followed by the display of a traditional easel in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace. Celebrations were staged in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms and the newborn was widely hailed as a future king in the majority of British newspapers. His name was announced as George Alexander Louis on 24 July.

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 his grandfather, Charles. George was christened on 23 October by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, in the Chapel Royal at St James's Palace.

Upbringing

George spent his first months in Anglesey, Wales, before his family relocated to Kensington Palace in 2014. He embarked on his first royal tour with his parents in April 2014, during which they spent three weeks in New Zealand and Australia. Although George appeared only twice, the BBC described the "nine-month-old future king" as "the star of the show". The then Australian Prime Minister 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, his family lived at Anmer Hall in Norfolk, where he started at West Acre Montessori School Nursery in January 2016. Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama on 22 April 2016. 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 Home 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 Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee celebration in June 2022, including the Trooping the Colour carriage procession. She died on 8 September 2022 and was succeeded by George's grandfather, who took on the regnal name Charles III. George moved up to second in line for the throne, behind his father. He served as a page of honour at his grandfather's coronation on 6 May 2023. George and his siblings occasionally accompany 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 unauthorised photographs of George, saying that "a line [had] been crossed" in paparazzi methods of locating and photographing him, including surveilling the family and sending children to bring George into view.

In the British satirical sketch programme Newzoids George was depicted as a rebellious, foul-mouthed character with a lewd sense of humour. The 2016 children's book Winnie-the-Pooh Meets the Queen, written in honour of the 90th birthdays of both Queen Elizabeth II and the fictional character of Winnie-the-Pooh, features a cameo appearance from George, to whom Piglet presents a red balloon. The 2021 animated sitcom The Prince stars a fictionalised eight-year-old Prince George who makes life difficult for his family. The show was cancelled in February 2022 after the first series drew criticism for satirising royal children.

Title and styles

George is a prince of the United Kingdom with the official style "His Royal Highness Prince George of Wales". During the reign of his great-grandmother, he was styled "His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge".