Prince George made a surprise appearance at a Buckingham Palace tea party yesterday, marking his first formal royal function.
The 11-year-old joined his parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales, at the event hosted by King Charles and Queen Camilla for veterans and members of the World War II generation.
The young prince's unexpected attendance represented a significant milestone in his royal journey.
As second in line to the throne after his father William, Prince George is gradually being introduced to official duties.
Prince William opens up on the reason behind Prince George's major royal firstGetty
The tea party came just hours after his first official public outing of 2025, when he joined his siblings at a military procession near the Palace.
At the tea party, Prince George mirrored his father's role, sitting beside him as he often does at public events.
Photographers captured father and son leaning in attentively, clearly listening to veterans' stories.
The young prince was seen offering a respectful handshake to one man, whilst Princess Kate smiled as they shared a conversation.
Prince William opens up on the reason behind Prince George's major royal firstGetty
The royal guest list included the King, the Queen, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Princess Royal, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence and the Duke of Kent.
Also present were the Prime Minister, the leader of the Opposition, Kemi Badenoch, and Second World War veterans accompanied by the Royal British Legion.
After Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis watched the military procession, it was expected the children would retire for the day.
However, Prince William revealed that George was "very keen" to hear more.
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The Princess of Wales introduced her eldest son to 99-year-old Charles Auborn, a gunner in the 90th City of London Regiment.
"This is my son George, I was telling you about," Kate said during the introduction.
This appearance exemplifies the gradual approach William and Kate are taking to introduce their children to royal duties.
The young prince's attendance was not initially expected, making his presence all the more significant.
Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis watched the military procession together.
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"It's a massive balancing act," a palace insider previously told PEOPLE about the Prince and Princess of Wales' approach to raising George as future king.
"William and Kate are doing the right thing, protecting him so he can have as normal a childhood as possible, but he's also dipping into duties as a future monarch," the insider added.
The source explained that George is getting "firsthand experience of what it's like to be a royal and a monarch and firsthand experience of being a normal boy."
This careful introduction to royal life reflects William and Kate's commitment to preparing their son for his future role whilst preserving his childhood.
