Should Prince George join armed forces before becoming King - vote

20 July 2023 , 08:35

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Prince George will not have to serve in the armed forces before becoming King (Image: Getty Images)

The Prince and Princess of Wales have reportedly broken a centuries-old tradition after deciding that Prince George will not have to serve in the armed forces before becoming King - and we want to know what YOU think.

Male heirs had previously been expected to serve their country in some way before taking the royal title, but George is allowed to sidestep this usual pattern, giving him the opportunity to shape his own future.

A long-time friend of Prince William reportedly said the royal couple will not stand in the way of George finding his true passion in life, adding: "In theory, there is nothing to stop George from pursuing a career as an astronaut, for example, if that’s what he wants, and then becoming King later.

“The rules are different now, he wouldn’t necessarily have to follow the old formula of going into the military and then Royal life. ‘So, could Charlotte qualify as a doctor, for example? I don’t see why not. It’s less of a fishbowl now than when William and Harry were growing up."

This is a significant step away from custom because George’s father, uncle, grandfather, great-grandmother and great-grandfather all served with the military.

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Both William and Harry trained at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, with William going on to train as an RAF pilot and his brother carrying out two tours of duty in Afghanistan. While King Charles served in both the Royal Navy and RAF, and is also the Commander-in-Chief of Britain’s forces.

Speaking ahead of George's tenth birthday on Saturday (July 22), historian Dominic Sandbrook said the decision is a huge turning point for future heirs, who could go on to take civilian roles.

He told the Daily Mail: “The tradition of royals joining the Armed Forces, even for brief periods, lends crucial legitimacy to the monarchy. Military service is the last tradition that takes Royal youngsters outside their sheltered lives of impossible privilege.”

“Times change and institutions change with them... who can blame him if he would rather pursue a different vocation?” he added.

Meanwhile, Ann Widdecombe said that if George does not carry out military service he must “give up his birth right” as King. A source close to Buckingham Palace said: “If any of the Wales’ three children had a particular passion then their parents would be happy for them to pursue it.”

So what do YOU think? Should George join the armed forces before taking the throne? Vote in our poll HEREand leave your thoughts in the comment section below.

Freya Hodgson