5 Things Prince George Must Do Differently From Prince Louis as Future King

Prince George and Prince Louis are only five years apart, but their positions in the line of succession put them on very different paths. George is second in line behind his father, Prince William, and is expected to one day become King. Louis, meanwhile, is currently fourth in line, giving him considerably more room to decide what he wants his adult life to look like. Their parents, William and Princess Kate, have always strived to give all three of their children as normal a childhood as possible. But as George gets older, some of the freedoms Louis may continue to enjoy could become harder for his older brother to keep.

As part of being in the line of succession, George will have much less freedom when it comes to deciding what he wants to do with his life. As the future King, his career is ultimately tied to the monarchy. He is expected to prepare for constitutional duties, represent the Crown, and eventually become head of state. Military service has also traditionally been an important part of preparing senior male royals for their roles. However, with Louis, he will not have to face the same certainty. If he remains further down the line of succession, he could potentially choose a career outside the monarchy, just as other members of the Royal Family have done.

As they grow up, George will have much stricter travel rules. There is a longstanding royal practice that direct heirs should avoid travelling together on the same aircraft, mainly as a precaution to protect the line of succession. It is not a formal law, and the Royal Family has made exceptions over the years. Former royal pilot Graham Laurie, in a conversation with Hello, explained that Prince William stopped travelling on the same aircraft as his parents and brother when he turned 12. He said the family could only all travel together with permission from Queen Elizabeth II. The same convention has been discussed in relation to George now that he is older. Louis, being further down the line, is not in the same position as his father and brother. So while royal travel arrangements can always change, he is less likely to face the same kind of separation from his family because of his place in the succession.

George may also find it much harder to stay out of the spotlight. His parents have protected him and his siblings from excessive media attention. But George's position means the public has a particular interest in his life because he is the future King. Royal expert Jennie Bond has previously pointed out to Mirror that the pressure surrounding George's destiny, saying that if someone is destined to become King, "the pool of informed guidance is extraordinarily limited." That pressure is likely to grow as George gets older. Louis, on the other hand, may have more freedom to step away from royal life when he is older if he chooses.

George's future also comes with a very specific religious responsibility. The monarch must be in communion with the Church of England and must uphold the established Church of England. This means George, as the future King, cannot simply choose to follow a religion that would make him ineligible to inherit the throne. The position is connected to the monarch's role as Supreme Governor of the Church of England. Louis, on the other hand, does not currently face the same restriction in the same way. He is still in the line of succession, but he is not expected to become King unless circumstances dramatically change. For George, his relationship with the Church is already part of the responsibilities attached to becoming monarch.

Perhaps one of the biggest differences could involve George's military career. Military service has long been connected to the Royal Family, and George is expected to follow that tradition in some form. But being the future King can also place limits on how far he can go. William served for more than seven years in the Armed Forces, including as a search-and-rescue pilot, but he did not serve in active combat. Harry, meanwhile, had a very different experience. He served for a decade in the British Army and completed two operational tours in Afghanistan. A former Army chief, General Sir Mike Jackson, told Sky News that although Queen Elizabeth II wanted both William and Harry to do their duty, it was ultimately decided that William would not serve on the front line because of his closeness to the throne, while Harry could. The same would apply in this situation to George and Louis.