Six Lesser-Known Tidbits About Prince George In Honor Of His Birthday

Jul 22, 2021 by apost team

The eldest of the Cambridge kids, Prince George, turns 8 years old today. And as expected, Kate Middleton snapped a never-before-seen photo of the birthday boy to commemorate this future king’s special day.

George is pictured at Anmer Hall, Kate and Prince William’s getaway on Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. What’s notable about the birthday photo — besides George’s toothy grin and his striped polo shirt — is that it seems to pay tribute to the late Prince Philip, the boy’s great-grandfather. The 8-year-old sits atop a dark green Land Rover Defender, the same make that Philip requested and designed exclusively for his own funeral hearse. Philip also owned multiple Land Rover’s throughout his long life.

According to The Telegraph, Prince George and his family will celebrate the 8-year-old royal’s birthday privately. Last year, the Cambridge brood similarly commemorated George’s birthday, with Kate taking a photo of the then-7-year-old in a camouflage shirt at Anmer Hall.

George is Queen Elizabeth II’s great-grandchild and is third in the line of royal succession. If things go as planned, George will become king after his grandfather Charles, the Prince of Wales, and after his father, the Duke of Cambridge. He will be England’s 43rd monarch since 1066.

This is a big year for George as his eighth year may mark a major moment for the young prince, as he may begin boarding school at Ludgrove and switch over to wearing trousers permanently. 

In honor of the young prince's birthday, we are looking at some lesser-known facts about Prince George that royal fans may not know.

1. His Nickname For His Great-Grandmother

George is lucky enough to be able to have a nickname for Queen Elizabeth II, as the two of them are quite close, according to Romper. After all, Elizabeth has a slew of formal names, such as Her Majesty and Head of the Commonwealth. George, however, adorably calls the queen Gan-Gan. "George is only 2 ½ and he calls her 'Gan-Gan," Kate Middleton said in ITV's "Our Queen at Ninety," according to Yahoo Entertainment. "She always leaves a little gift or something in their room when we go and stay and that just shows her love for her family."

2. Commemorative Coins Were Issued After His Birth

As George is third in line to the throne and will most certainly be king one day, his birth was a significant event for the royal family and was highly anticipated. In celebration of the prince's birth, commemorative coins were issued by the Royal Mint, Royal Canadian Mint and Royal Australian Mint. The Royal Mint actually struck lucky by designing the coin after St. George much earlier than George's name was announced, but this was also the first time a royal birth had been marked in this way. 

3. He Loves Airplanes

George takes after his father, Prince William, in many ways, and this is also seen in his love for airplanes. William was even a full-time helicopter pilot with the RAF Search and Rescue Force. In fact, William had been working with East Anglian Air Ambulance and the family lived permanently at Anmer Hall on the Sandringham Estate during the first few years of George's life, according to Cosmopolitan. Kate told Lucinda Conder in 2016, "George is now obsessed with the air cadets and wants to join."

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4. He Volunteers Already 

Being a prince means that George was born into a life of public service, and he is already taking on his responsibility by volunteering. In 2020, George and his whole family helped to deliver homemade pasta to the elderly and vulnerable near their Norfolk home, according to Reader's Digest. George and his sibling helped to prepare the packages, and one onlooker said, "They got drenched as it was pouring with the rain but I think they just wanted to do their bit." 

5. He Was Almost Named Something Else

YOU UK reported that George was almost named something else. Kate apparently had her heart set on another name for her firstborn child. According to Katie Nicholl, an expert on the royal family, Kate wanted to name her son Alexander. "Although Kate apparently suspected it was a boy and had set her heart on the name Alexander, they had not yet decided what to call their firstborn," Nicholl said. Kate and William eventually decided to name him George, but Alexander is still his middle name.

6. He Has Seven Godparents

While George is in most ways just like every other young boy, his royal life dictates that his life is also very different. According to Reader's Digest, the young prince has seven godparents to assist, counsel and support him in his very important royal role. Harper's Bazaar reported that the godparents are: Oliver Baker, David Jardine-Paterson, Hugh Grosvenor, Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, Julia Samuel, Zara Tindall and William van Cutsem. The group consists of William's childhood and college friends as well as other members of the aristocracy.

Did you know these facts about Prince George? Tell us about your thoughts, and be sure to pass this onto others if you learned something.