With King Charles III undergoing cancer treatment, the stability of the monarchy has become a pressing concern. Prince George is already being prepared for his future role as king, but he has just turned 11.

This is where a lesser-known British law comes into play, revealing how the monarchy would function if Prince George were deemed too young to fulfill his royal responsibilities.

Prince George’s 11th Birthday

On July 22, 2024, Prince George celebrated his 11th birthday. His parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales, shared the celebration on their official Instagram. The post included a striking black-and-white photo of a smiling Prince George with the sweet caption, “Wishing Prince George a very happy 11th birthday today!”

The post quickly garnered attention, with fans flooding the comments to express their amazement at how much Prince George had grown. One enthusiastic commenter wrote, “He’s growing up so fast! I can’t believe it! Happy birthday, George.”

Another follower shared their sentiments, saying, “Can anyone just stop the time, please? He is such a handsome boy. ❤️ Time flies so fast! Thank you for sharing, Your Royal Highnesses. 😍 I hope Prince George has a very special day with the best company. Happy birthday, Prince George. We love you so much.”

The warm wishes continued with another fan commenting, “This picture is so beautiful, he is growing up so fast! I wish the happiest birthday to Prince George. Have the best day! 🎂”�A nostalgic admirer added, “He was just a little baby we were waiting for yesterday! Where did the time go? Happy Birthday, Prince George ❤️”

The joyful occasion provided a much-needed lift for the Royal Family and their supporters, as it followed a series of difficult announcements earlier in the year. In March 2024, Princess Catherine revealed her battle with cancer through an emotional Instagram post.

“It has been an incredibly tough couple of months for our entire family. But I’ve had a fantastic medical team who have taken great care of me,” the Princess of Wales shared.

By July, she updated the public on her ongoing chemotherapy treatment. “I am making good progress. But as anyone going through chemotherapy will know, there are good days and bad days,” the caption read in part.

Additionally, in February 2024, the Royal Family’s official Instagram account shared that Prince George’s grandfather,King Charles III, had been diagnosed with cancer.

According to the Instagram post, His Majesty was undergoing a hospital procedure for benign prostate enlargement. During this procedure, a separate issue of concern was noted, and diagnostic tests identified it as a form of cancer.

The caption revealed that King Charles III was undergoing regular treatment. “His Majesty has chosen to share his diagnosis to prevent speculation and in the hope it may assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer,” the caption concluded.

What Happens If Prince George Becomes King before Turning 18?

In the British monarchy, a young heir like Prince George becoming King raises important questions about governance and royal duties. The Regency Act of 1937 was created to handle situations where the Sovereign was too young or unable to perform royal duties.

This law was introduced after problems during King George V’s illness, showing the need for a clear plan for royal authority. According to this Act, if Prince George becomes King before the age of 18, a Regent will be appointed to perform royal duties until he is old enough.

To ensure the monarchy runs smoothly, the Regent takes on all the duties of the Sovereign, acting in their place. This includes signing bills into law, representing the monarchy at official events, and performing other key royal tasks.

The Regent’s role is vital for ensuring the continuity and stability of the monarchy during this period. The Regent is typically the next adult in the line of succession who is eligible and qualified to serve.

To qualify, the individual must be British, of full age, and meet other criteria. If the next in line is a minor or otherwise disqualified, the Regent’s role will be passed to the next eligible person in the line.

Prince William, George’s father, is the most likely candidate for Regent. As the next in line after Prince George, he fulfills the requirement of being an adult British subject living in the UK.

His close relationship with his eldest son and extensive experience in royal duties also make him an ideal candidate to guide the young king through his early years. Prince Harryh, the younger brother of Prince William, is another potential candidate.

Although he currently lives outside the UK, his eligibility would depend on his legal residence status and other factors outlined in the Regency Act. When Prince George turns 18, it will mark the start of his personal reign.

Preparing Prince George for His Future as King

In 2023, a palace insider revealed that Prince William and Princess Catherine had already started gently preparing Prince George for his future role as king. While they focused on providing him with a normal childhood, they also ensured he understood his eventual royal duties.

Prince George, whose parents called him their “little grape” during Princess Catherine’s pregnancy, had his first formal discussion about his future destiny in 2020. Robert Lacey, a royal Biographer, noted that this discussion was carefully timed.

The discussion reflected Prince William’s desire to avoid the confusion and pressure he experienced regarding his own royal future. It was reportedly a deliberate and controlled moment, aimed at managing the way Prince George learned about his future.

Children’s wear designer Amaia Arrieta, whose clothes Prince George and his siblings — Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis — have worn for years, also offered some insight into the matter.

“I think George has known almost from the beginning. He has always had a more prominent role. There have been many events with his late great-grandmother or great-grandfather when it was just him, and his siblings weren’t there,” Arrieta shared .

In a 2016 interview with the BBC, when Prince George was 3, Prince William spoke about whether the toddler knew of his future as king. The Princes of Wales shared that there was a time and place to inform his son about his future royal duties.

Instead, the Prince of Wales was focused on providing Prince George with a secure and stable environment, filled with as much love as possible. A palace insider added, “I am sure [William and Catherine] are making George aware in the best way they can. And not making it too burdensome.”

The Prince and Princess of Wales especially wanted to make the transition into royal duties as easy as possible for their eldest son. Instead of it being something scary, the royal couple put a lot of thought into how they would normalize the reality of being king one day for young Prince George.

“[…] There’s a belief to make it as unobtrusive and as normal — if you can call it normal — and as pleasant as possible,” shared royal biographer Robert Hardman. Prince George stepped into the royal spotlight in May 2023 at King Charles III’s coronation.

The young prince served as one of his grandfather’s Pages of Honor. During the ceremony at Westminster Abbey, Prince George helped carry the King’s robe. He also took a prominent position on the Buckingham Palace balcony afterward.

Prince William and Princess Catherine understood the pressure this role entailed. After all, Prince George became the youngest future king to play an official role in a coronation. However, they felt their son was ready for the task. “He was terrific,” remarked a close family friend.

Following the coronation, the palace released an official portrait featuring King Charles III and his heirs, Prince William and Prince George. The striking portrait symbolized the monarchy’s future.

However, despite these public moments, Prince William and Princess Catherine prioritized giving their children a normal upbringing. Their family life included outdoor play, kitchen experiments, and visits to the candy store.

“It’s a massive balancing act,” shared a palace insider. According to the source, the Prince and Princess of Wales were “doing the right thing” by protecting Prince George.

The insider added, “He’s getting firsthand experience of what it’s like to be a royal and a monarch and firsthand experience of being a normal boy.” Much of this approach stemmed from Princess Catherine’s own upbringing outside the royal circle.

A source close to the royal household shared that Princess Catherine appreciated the importance of having family time. “She wasn’t brought up in that aristocratic setting where you see the children for a short time each day,” they added.

As Prince William and Princess Catherine prepared Prince George to take the British throne one day, an insider shared that the adorable royal certainly had the “confident” and “outgoing” personality to be the future King of England.

By the time Prince George was 8, sources revaled that he had already “blossomed” and had a broad spectrum of interests. This included gardening, science, nature, photography, cooking, and learning languages.

The young royal was reportedly also interested in anything sports-related and took his education very seriously. “He loves school and is a straight-A student,” the insider shared.

Prince George not only looks like his parents but also inherited endearing traits from both of them. The 11-year-old was said to be “sensitive” like his mother, but “protective and a confident decision-maker” like his father.

However, Prince George was “definitely more outgoing and cheeky” than the Prince and Princess of Wales were at his age, the insider jokingly noted.

“Kate and William are beyond proud of George and say they’re lucky to have such a cute and loving son. They try not to overwhelm him with too many details about his future but feel more than confident that he’ll be a great king one day,” the source Shared.

As PRINCE GEORGE celebrated his 11th birthday, his royal parents made sure he enjoyed the richness of a normal childhood while preparing him for the responsibilities of his future, ensuring he would make a great king one day.