Prince George may only be seven years old, but he is slowly growing into his role as a future King of the United Kingdom. On June 29, he attended a football match (i.e. soccer) at Wembley stadium as the U.K. faced Germany as part of Euro 2020. He was accompanied by his parents, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and saw his home country emerge victorious from the bout.

The future king, who was sharply and smartly dressed in a suit and tie for the occasion, seemed quite nervous about what was going on, especially when the national anthem, “God Save The Queen” played. One day, the country will sing “God Save The King” to him.

George seemed a bit reserved in most of the photos captured of him at the game. When the young prince previously attended a game privately with his parents, he was quite animated, though this time it was clear that he knew that the country, and the world, was watching him.

It’s recently emerged that Prince William and Catherine, The Duchess of Cambridge, have told the young boy of his destiny as the future king sometime in the last year around his seventh birthday. Apparently, the parents put a lot of thought into how they would explain the enormous weight George would bear on his shoulders and what it would mean.

“William has not revealed to the world how and when he broke the big news to his son. Maybe one day George will tell us the story himself. But sometime around the boy’s seventh birthday in the summer of 2020 it is thought that his parents went into more detail about what the little prince’s life of future royal ‘service and duty’ would particularly involve,” Robert Lacey wrote in the new chapter of his book about the tension between his father and uncle, Prince Harry, called “Battle of Brothers.”

“William’s aim as a father, the prince stressed, was to give his son ‘a normal family upbringing,’ enabling the monarchy ‘to stay relevant and keep up with modern times.'”

The parents do treat all the children equally, but Prince George did slowly pick up on the fact that he is singled out, especially when it came to his great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.

“They make a point of ensuring their three children feel equal and that they’re all treated the same,” royal commentator Katie Nicholl said.

Raising three children is no easy feat, and the added stress of one of those children being a future king is no doubt challenging. However, the Cambridges seem to have the right idea in mind when it comes to raising their children.

Every report about the family out and about indicates that the children are remarkably well-behaved and well-mannered.

The couple also had three children, and not just two. This is just a theory, but it’s probably better for royal couples who are direct lines to the throne to have three children, that way the two spares can support each other, and you don’t have the dynamic of the special one (the heir) and the not special one (the spare).

This dynamic has likely contributed to the Prince Harry and Meghan Markle debacle, since the two were unable to grasp the simple concept that William and Catherine were more important as the direct heirs to the throne.

But none of that family drama was on display last night. Instead, the public glimpsed the shy and reserved George as he attends his first football match in an official capacity. Over the years and decades, he will likely take his place in the stands as a royal many, many times. 

It’s fun to see Prince George beginning to learn the ropes and grow into his role as a royal and future king.

Picture from People.