Prince George's Life Is Much Different Than Dad William's Was at 13, But He "Has Not Been Spared Pain," Says Author

Prince George will celebrate his 13th birthday on Wednesday, July 22, and this fall, he’ll head away from home to follow in his father’s boarding school footsteps at Eton College. Although George will be the same age as Prince William was when he enrolled at Eton, their lives couldn’t be more different, as royal experts and sources close to the Wales family have revealed.

As the first heir to the throne to be raised in a world with social media, George’s time at Eton will certainly look different than his father’s. But when he arrives in the historic town, George will have the benefit of a stable family to come back to in Windsor—a much different familial situation than the one William found himself in as a teenager.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, royal journalist and biographer Robert Jobson said that “the difference is everything,” when it comes to George’s home life and his father’s.

When Prince William started his boarding school journey in 1995, Prince Charles and Princess Diana were separated, making for an awkward photo call with the family. George, however, will have the support of a united family when the Waleses pose for similar photos at the start of term.

“William walked into Eton carrying his parents’ marital war,” Jobson said. “George walks in from a settled home.”

However, life hasn’t been without its challenges for George, who was there to cheer on the Princess of Wales when she recently completed the National Three Peaks climbing challenge to support the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.

“He has not been spared pain,” Jobson noted. “He watched his mother fight and beat cancer. He watched his grandfather live with it. He has emerged steadier.”

Although Prince George is “aware of his future,” as friends of William and Kate's tell the Telegraph, the soon-to-be teenager is also “incredibly down to earth.”

Whether it's taking part in tennis or art, George is a busy student enjoying his last year of school before the world of Eton and a future of royal responsibilities takes over.