Prince George has grown up in the spotlight, but his recent outing with Prince William has revealed a surprising change that many royal watchers were unprepared for. Although the public is just beginning to notice, his parents have been hinting at their son’s transformation for months.
“Has Prince George changed?” asked one online user after observing the 13-year-old’s latest appearance. Another user was equally surprised, commenting, “Oh my God, that profile… he looks just like William.”
The latest photos of George stem from his recent school break after starting Eton College in September 2026. | Source: Instagram/@thewales_family
Henry’s last public appearance was during his first school holiday since starting Eton College in September 2026. | Source: Instagram/@thewales_family
However, behind the palace doors, George had experienced much more than just a change in looks. From typical teenage squabbles to a significant event that had Kate counting the days until her son’s return, some of the most impactful moments of his young life have taken place away from the cameras.
2024 — The Little Prince Who Had No Idea What Awaits
On July 14, 2024, 10-year-old Prince George attended the final of the European Championship alongside William in Berlin, already sharing a love for football with his father, becoming a familiar face at sports events.
George celebrated his 11th birthday on July 22, 2024, just eight days after being at the European Championship final with William. | Source: Getty Images.
Despite the joy captured at the stadium, 2024 had been a challenging year for the royal family. Kate was undergoing treatment for cancer, and King Charles was also facing health issues. Meanwhile, William was trying to balance his royal duties with supporting his wife and their three children.
William later described this time as the “toughest year I’ve ever had,” making protecting his family his top priority. Despite their public roles, Kate and he continued to structure their schedules around the children’s school timings whenever possible.
Spain defeated England 2-1 at the Olympiastadion in Berlin, denying the English team their first European Championship title. | Source: Getty Images.
George attended Lambrook School, where he got to see his sister, Princess Charlotte, and his brother, Prince Louis, every day. Family meals and outdoor activities shaped their daily lives. William and Kate also strictly monitored technology use, limiting access to smartphones and the internet for their children.
By this time, George was still deeply embedded in his school life, sharing experiences with his siblings. His public appearances were primarily tied to family events. However, as he approached his 11th birthday, George was beginning to assert his preferences and gain independence.
2025 — George Wanted Something William Wasn’t Ready to Give
By spring 2025, George started attending an increasing variety of public events with his parents. In May, he participated in the commemorations for the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe, and his growing interest in history had not gone unnoticed by William, who had already seen signs of it at home.
In an interview with Eugene Levy in October, the Prince of Wales admitted that “George, my son, is much better at history than I am.” William mentioned that he sometimes turned to his older son to verify historical dates, a charming reversal of the typical parent-child dynamic.
George was also cultivating his own interests, although football remained a favored pastime. In April, the pair traveled to Paris to support Aston Villa against Paris Saint-Germain, continuing a family tradition that would only grow more meaningful as George matured.
On May 5, 2025, Prince George joined his parents for a special tea at Buckingham Palace in honor of World War II veterans, as part of the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe. | Source: Getty Images.
Later that July, George celebrated his 12th birthday amid new family outings during the summer. However, his impending teenage years also began to spark disagreements with his parents.
In a November interview, William revealed that his eldest son was increasingly requesting his own smartphone. However, he and Kate were unwilling to grant him unrestricted internet access, a point of contention that George did not find particularly enjoyable.
William acknowledged that this issue had become “a bit of a tense topic,” even though he believed George understood their concerns. William hinted that his son might eventually receive a basic phone with no internet access when he started high school.
This was an entirely normal parenting challenge for a boy whose future would be anything but ordinary. But as Christmas approached, William and Kate noticed further changes in their eldest son.
The first time Prince George appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during the “Trooping the Colour” ceremony in 2015, he was almost 2 years old and wore an outfit once donned by William as a child. | Source: Getty Images.
During the Christmas carol service on December 6, 2024, Prince William read a passage from the Book of Isaiah, at an event organized by Kate welcoming 1,600 guests and highlighting acts of kindness and compassion.
In December, George attended the annual Christmas service with Kate, Charlotte, and Louis. Meanwhile, William had planned something special for his eldest son at a location rich with memories of Princess Diana.
On December 16, William took George to The Passage, a London charity helping the homeless—a place Diana had introduced him to at the age of 11. The two helped prepare the Christmas lunch, while the charity’s CEO, Mick Clarke, recounted later that George was full of questions “just like his dad.”
The Christmas concert “Together at Christmas” organized by Kate in 2024 celebrated love, kindness, and empathy, echoing the support provided to her family during her treatment for cancer that year. | Source: Getty Images.
George also signed the golden book where William and Diana had signed back in December 1993. His grandmother never had the chance to meet him, but now William was sharing a cherished experience with him at almost the same age.
During the Christmas walk, a royal family admirer told Kate that Diana would have been proud of George, to which the princess responded, “Oh, I agree.”
On Christmas Day, while interacting with fans who came to greet the royal family at Sandringham, Kate received an unexpected remark about her eldest son. A fan predicted that George might grow to be 6’4” as an adult, thus surpassing his father’s height, Prince William.
Kate laughed and responded: “I know, I swear, he’s catching up to everyone, isn’t he?” She revealed that George was already wearing the same shoe size as her.
During the Christmas celebration, Kate joked about her son’s growing size, while another noticeable change was taking place during their family activities. Just a few weeks later, the princess would humorously explain why she preferred to avoid being tackled by George during their rugby games.
2026 — Kate Admitted There Was One Thing She No Longer Wanted George to Do
In January 2026, Kate welcomed members of the England Women’s Rugby Team to Windsor Castle after their World Cup victory. While discussing sports with the players, she made a lighthearted confession regarding playing rugby with her children.
Kate joked: “I don’t want to be tackled by George!” Her comment implied that her eldest son had become strong enough for her to think twice before letting him tackle her during a family match.
Later that month, Louis, George’s younger brother, celebrated his 8th birthday, while Charlotte turned 11 in May. | Source: Getty Images.
On April 5, George joined his parents and siblings for Easter service at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor. The family photos confirmed what Kate had mentioned earlier: her elder son’s height was quickly catching up.
The Easter service on April 5, 2026, marked the first public appearance of George, Charlotte, and Louis since Christmas. King Charles III and Queen Camilla also attended this family gathering at Windsor. | Source: Getty Images.
However, another change was also emerging—one that would significantly affect George’s daily life beyond just his growth. In a routine radio interview in May, William unexpectedly revealed that his eldest son was already getting used to spending nights away from home.
In an interview on “Heart Breakfast,” William mentioned that George had spent the previous night at boarding school. Although the 12-year-old was still attending Lambrook, he was beginning to adapt to a routine that would soon play a more significant role in his life.
Thus far, George had shared a significant part of his school life with Charlotte and Louis, all three attending the same school. However, in September, he was set to enter Eton College, indicating that his parents were preparing to see their eldest child leave home during the school week.
Before that, George enjoyed a new outing with Kate, this time visiting RAF Coningsby. During the visit, they explored historic aircraft, including a Lancaster bomber, a Spitfire, and a Hurricane, and met with the people responsible for their maintenance.
This experience offered George a fresh opportunity to deepen his interest in history, which had already impressed William. As summer approached, the family was gearing up for a birthday that would officially mark a new chapter in his life.
A Birthday and a Very “Teen” Response
On July 12, George returned to Wimbledon with William, Kate, and Charlotte. This family outing provided comparisons to photos from the previous summer, just days before a major milestone.
George’s participation at Wimbledon in 2026 took place just 10 days before his 13th birthday, making it easy to draw parallels to his previous visits to the tournament. | Source: Getty Images.
On July 22, George celebrated his 13th birthday, and his parents marked the occasion with a new portrait taken by Matt Porteous. However, entering adolescence was more than just a birthday, as an amusing exchange with William quickly demonstrated.
During the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on August 1, William and Kate were invited to try a tandem bike. When asked if the children would enjoy watching their parents try it, George immediately responded, “No.”
William playfully remarked, “You’re already making it awkward enough,” causing everyone around him to laugh. This reaction was typical for a teenager, even for a boy destined to one day become king.
As the family had a few more weeks of summer together before George headed off to boarding school, September saw William returning to a place he remembered from his youth—this time with his son.
William Had Stood Before Those Same School Gates — with Diana
On September 8, George started Eton College, accompanied by William and Kate. This transition meant the 13-year-old would now be living away from home for the school year, while Charlotte and Louis remained at Lambrook.
Simon Henderson, Eton College’s headmaster, welcomed George on his first day, saying, “Welcome, good luck, enjoy this experience,” before the prince began this new chapter of his boarding life. | Source: Getty Images.
For William, this moment brought back memories of September 1995, when Diana, Charles, and Harry had taken him to the same school at the age of 13. More than three decades later, he was taking his own son to Eton, continuing a family tradition Diana never had the chance to witness.
Thus, George embarked on a new stage of his life, surrounded by new peers and facing new responsibilities. His parents, in turn, had to adjust to having their eldest son living away from home during the week. A few weeks later, Kate would express how much she missed him and how eager she was to see him again.
Kate’s Emotional Confession After George’s Departure
During a visit on October 22 to a children’s hospice and a charity shop, Kate discussed the approaching school holidays with bystanders. When a child mentioned the upcoming break, she responded: “My kids have a holiday starting tomorrow, and I can’t wait to have them all home.”
Another woman who spoke with the princess later shared that Kate mentioned how much she missed George and looked forward to his return from Eton. After years of having all three children at the same school, the Wales family was adapting to a new routine.
Since the ceremony of “Trooping the Colour” has been celebrating the official birthday of the British monarch for over 260 years, it traces back to military ceremonies from the 17th century. | Source: Getty Images.
However, George’s upcoming autumn break promised more than just a family reunion. William had planned another outing to play football with his eldest son, and the photos from that outing would leave royal family fans stunned by how much he had changed.
New Photos of George Caused a Sensation—and Not Just Because of His Outfit
On November 3, George accompanied William to Barcelona to support Aston Villa during a Champions League match. This was his first public appearance since starting at Eton in September, and his radically different appearance immediately captured attention.
Gone were the traditional suits and ties. George sported a black Adidas sports jacket bearing the Aston Villa crest, while his longer face, sharper jawline, and relaxed hairstyle gave him a markedly more mature look.
Next to William, the resemblance between father and son was striking, especially in profile. Compared to photos from July, the 13-year-old looked remarkably different after just a few months in boarding school.
This transformation amazed royal family enthusiasts, and one user wrote: “He’s really matured since going to boarding school. What a handsome young man!”
George’s younger siblings, Charlotte and Louis, remained at Lambrook after his departure for Eton. | Source: Instagram/@thewales_family
Others were taken aback by how much he resembled his parents, with one user commenting: “He has his mom’s darker features and his dad’s face 💯. He looked just like his dad as a baby.”
Comparisons even traced back to George’s very earliest childhood photos, where he often appeared as a little copy of William. Yet, amid the excitement about his new look, another user commented saying: “He realized his son was growing up, and only beautiful memories remained.”
And a photograph captured that night immortalized a moment that had nothing to do with George’s height, hairstyle, or resemblance to either parent. This was a small gesture that reminded everyone of something William had expressed long before his son reached his teenage years.
The Moment William Always Wanted to Remember
During the match in Barcelona, George was photographed leaning his head against William’s shoulder. This brief and affectionate gesture signified a sweet moment between father and son amid the excitement of the football game.
This outing between father and son occurred during George’s first big school break at Eton, from October 23 to November 8, 2026. | Source: Getty Images.
This wasn’t the first time William had talked about how significant these outings were to him. During their trip to Paris in April 2025, when George was still just 11 years old, the Prince of Wales had explained why sharing this experience with his son mattered so much to him.
“It’s really important to create those memories, and taking him with me tonight is something huge for me,” William had said. His words were not about the football scores or the thrill of attending a Champions League match, but rather about sharing moments they would remember for years.
Now, as George leaned against his father in Barcelona, there were no royal protocols to follow or speeches to deliver. For a few seconds, it was just a young boy resting his head on his dad’s shoulder—and William created yet another of those cherished memories he had long sought to make.
