Prince George’s childhood dream had nothing to do with the Royal Family. Unfortunately, his uncle – Prince Harry – has already shut down the boy’s hopes for the future indirectly.
As third in line to the British throne, Prince George’s future role as king has been set in stone since birth. However, like many children his age, the young prince once harbored dreams of pursuing a career far removed from the royal duties that awaited him. In a heartwarming revelation, Prince William shared that his son had expressed a keen interest in joining the police force, a passion that resonated deeply with the little prince.
During a reception at Kensington Palace honoring Scotland Yard in 2018, Prince William disclosed George’s fascination with law enforcement. “He is obsessed, actually, by the police… cars, toys, everything,” the Duke of Cambridge remarked, painting a picture of a young boy enamored with the idea of serving and protecting. This revelation came on the heels of an earlier anecdote in which William had hand-delivered a letter to Santa Claus on George’s behalf, requesting just one gift for Christmas — a police car.
Interestingly, Prince George’s desire to join the police force echoes a similar childhood wish once held by his father. Alas, as Prince William before him, Prince George has learned the bitter truth about how he’s not in control of his fate. William and Kate Middleton are already preparing George to be a loyal Royal hound following Prince Harry’s insensitively address the limitations that come with duty when his brother had once expressed his desire to build a career away from the royal title.
Prince Harry shattered Prince Willaim’s dream, so he decided to take control of how he broke George’s
Prince Harry, perhaps unwittingly, played a pivotal role in crushing young Prince George’s aspirations for a “normal” career. In a moment of childish candor, Harry bluntly informed his elder brother that he couldn’t join the police because he had to be king. This interaction served as a “rude awakening” for William.
When discussing their futures with Princess Diana, a young William expressed his desire to become a policeman to “look after” his mother. Harry, with a “note of triumph” in his voice, quickly retorted, “Oh no, you can’t. You’ve got to be King.”
In response to how Willliam’s dream was crudely disrupted, the future king and Kate Middleton took a more measured and controlled approach to introducing their son to the concept of royal duty. Unlike the “haphazard fashion” in which William became aware of his own destiny, the couple has chosen to carefully manage how and when George learned about his future role.
According to royal expert Robert Lacey, in his book “Battle of Brothers,” William and Kate decided to have a more detailed conversation with George about his future around his seventh birthday in the summer of 2020. This deliberate strategy stems from William’s own experiences and his desire to shield his children from the abrupt and potentially distressing manner in which he learned about his royal fate.
Kate, in particular, has been credited with carefully orchestrating George’s journey into public life. Royal expert Duncan Larcombe suggests that “Kate has got the journey planned” for George’s gradual understanding of his destiny. The Duchess has been instrumental in teaching George about the different approaches required when “on duty,” such as dressing more formally for certain events. However, she also encourages him to express genuine emotions and reactions, striking a balance between royal decorum and natural childhood behavior.
Sounds strict and a little harsh, and it is all because a young Harry didn’t no better. But let’s look at it this way — in a way, even from a distance, he managed to make sure that his nephew’s budding dream was not broken by someone else who may or may not worry about doing it in a way that hurts him the least.