New Photos of Prince George From VE Day Has Left Royals Fans Quite Upset: ‘Poor Kid…’

Prince George joined his parents, Prince William and Kate Middleton, for the 80th anniversary of VE Day celebrations. The 11-year-old future monarch was also photographed at a reception meeting for the veterans, alongside his parents. George's attendance to honor the nation’s heroes, however, sparked a firestorm online. Royal watchers slammed the Waleses for pushing George towards high-profile royal duties at such a young age.

A pleasure also to meet with veterans at this afternoon’s tea party. Thank you to everybody who came, and to all those members of the military who took part in today’s incredibly special parade. It has been a day to remember. ?? pic.twitter.com/6mgc87qDDM

— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) May 5, 2025

At the Buckingham Palace tea party, George interacted with WWII veterans as his parents taught him the ropes. As reported by the Daily Mail, William proudly told veteran Alfred Littlefield that George was 'interested' in learning about those who served. The Prince of Wales reportedly added that it was 'very important' for his eldest and the 'next generation' to hear the stories from those who fought for our nation. Dubbed 'A King In Training' by the British media, George reportedly left the veterans highly impressed with Mr Littlefield telling William, “You should be very proud.”

After Kensington Palace shared photos from the event, netizens on Reddit erupted with criticism. A royal fan opined, “The Wales' are so lazy. They are going to have all of the kids as full working members in their teens.” In a similar vein, another echoed, “Well, of course they're gonna put the kids to work, so that they won't have to.” A netizen also chimed, “Dragging those poor kids about again to counter bad press. What happened to keeping them out of the public eye and giving them a normal upbringing?” As the comments poured in, another penned, “Poor kid. Still remember during the football, they had him in a suit and tie."

While critics argued that George was too young to be thrust into the centre of such an event, others voiced their support for his parents. In a separate Reddit thread, a royal watchers slamming critics, penned, “They're dammed if they do, damned if they don't. I still see comments from people calling Catherine lazy.” Another echoed, “I think it was a great idea to include Prince George. There are only a few veterans of WWII who are still alive, and this number is shrinking very fast.” Another agreed, “William is right, it’s very important for the children to hear the veterans' stories.”

As reported by The Sun, the young Prince also interacted with veteran Douglas Hyde, who joined the merchant navy in 1944. The outlet reports that after their chat, Douglas' granddaughter Samantha Davidson told PA News Agency, “The Prince said George is very interested in finding out about the veterans. George even asked my grandfather how old he was during his service.”