Prince George turns five: Royal protocols he's expected to follow
Prince George celebrated his fifth birthday on Sunday (July 22) but this part of growing up may not all by a child's play for the third in line to the throne, for he will (now) have to follow some of the royal protocols. To mark the joyous occasion, the Kensington Palace released a picture of George, in which the toddler looked radiant as he smiled wide for the photograph. While Prince William and Duchess Kate Middleton have always wanted that their three children lead a normal life, it does not mean that they would be exempted from following the protocols laid for the members of the royal family.
Some of the rules are pretty obvious in the case of George. Let's take a look:
1. Shorts vs. Pants
According to Mirror, the royal family has a long-standing tradition that boys within the monarchy are expected to wear shorts until the age of eight. This practice dates back to the 16th century. The boys of the royal family shift from trousers to pants only after the age of eight in order to indicate that they are growing up. For instance, it noted that Prince George wears shorts for most of the occasions. However, there was an exception. The only time Prince George was spotted wearing trousers was at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
2. No gifts
Another rule that Prince George is expected to follow will be to return all his gifts. As children, we all crave to have a number of gifts around us especially when it is our birthday, but that may not be the case for Prince George. According to the official royal guidelines, “gifts offered by private individuals living in the UK not personally known to the member of the Royal Family should be refused where there are concerns about the propriety of motives of the donor or the gift itself."
3. Traveling protocol
Among the old-traditions that have been laid down, another one states that no two direct heirs to the thrown are allowed to travel together at any one time. This tradition dates back to centuries in a bid to protect the heirs from any tragedy. However, this has not been followed for a long time as Prince Charles often traveled with Prince William and Harry when they were young. Same goes for Prince William and his children. However, it is believed that the practice might be put into place once again and George will have to travel separately once he turns 12.
4. No selfies
While Kate and William want George to enjoy every little moment in life, he will not be able to enjoy what every other child from the generation loves to do- take selfies. While this rule is not enforced, the royal family members do not usually engage in clicking selfies.
5. No Autographs
At the same time, Prince George will not be allowed to give autographs. This tradition has been followed for a long time as many fear that they may be forged. While thinking about autographs for Prince George is a long way, there is no doubt that he would have enjoyed his fifth birthday surrounded by his loved ones.