Former Royal Butler Says Prince George May Skip College for Military Training: 'Whether He Likes It...'
Prince George, as second in line to the throne, is being groomed for his future responsibilities by Prince William and Kate Middleton. With his 12th birthday around the corner, protocols will soon change for him, including one about his education. While the young Prince is likely to follow in his father’s and uncle, Prince Harry’s, path in choosing Eton, he is also expected to undergo some form of military training. A former royal butler recently commented on the same, given George's fate as the future King.
Former butler, Grant Harrold, who has worked for King Charles from 2004 to 2011, told the Daily Express that royal family members, especially heirs to the throne, have to undergo military training irrespective of whether they want to or not. Harrold said, “In particular, George, as it is seen as vital for future kings to have had some sort of military training, so you can guarantee that George, whether he likes it or not, will have to go through that military training.” The butler noted how William, Harry, and Charles all sought the training. He explained, “You are the commanding chief of the Armed Forces, so you have got to know the profession.” Harrold, however, added that given the modern climate, “there might not be so much pressure when it comes to George; only time will tell.”
For the unversed, Charles, in 1971, trained as a pilot with the Royal Air Force. According to Business Insider, he also served in the Royal Navy between 1971 and 1976. Meanwhile, William, as the Prince of Wales, was bestowed with the position of Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps last year. The Prince has also previously trained as a military pilot and served with the Royal Air Force’s Search and Rescue Force from 2010 to 2013. He also worked for the East Anglian Air Ambulance for two years after training as an Air Ambulance Pilot. On the other hand, Harry, who is now fifth in the line of succession, trained as an Army Air Corps pilot and served with them during his second tour of Afghanistan. He flew Apache helicopters during his service, and retired from the same in 2015 to serve as a full-time senior working royal.
Coming back to George’s future education, the Prince and Princess of Wales have not yet made any announcement. Chiming in on the same, the former butler claimed that it would not be ‘frowned upon’ if three Wales’ children opted out of going to a university, unlike their parents. He said, "I don't think it would be frowned upon these days. We may find that George, Charlotte, and Louis might not all go to university. They may go straight to somewhere like Sandhurst.”