Kate Middleton Didn't Let George Wear an England Shirt at Euros Final

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and President of the Football Association look on during the UEFA Euro 2020 Championship Final between Italy and England at Wembley Stadium

(Image credit: Getty/Eddie Keogh - The FA)

published 14 January 2022

Kate Middleton is a doting mom, and isn't afraid to sometimes shirk tradition to give her kids a semblance of a normal life. But whether she likes it or not, the reality remains that her eldest son, Prince George, will one day be called upon to reign on the United Kingdom—a fact that that all the Cambridges have to contend with in one way or another.

For royal expert Duncan Larcombe, George wearing a suit to the Euros final last summer is a prime example of him being consciously prepared for his unique future. "That really struck me after seeing George in his first grown-up suit with his parents at the Euros final in July," Larcombe told OK!

"People were asking why they hadn’t let him wear an England shirt 'like a normal eight-year-old.'

"William was apparently keen on the idea, but it was Kate, the former commoner, who said no. She was showing George that being 'on duty' requires a different approach… he has to learn to don the royal armour."

It may sound harsh, but Middleton—who received horrible comments for being, as Larcombe puts it, a commoner when she and her husband started going out—knows better than anyone how much appearances matter when you're a royal. And even though she didn't let her son wear fun sports clothing for the big match, she still let him actually have fun, which is really all that matters.

"That doesn’t mean hiding his personality or feelings though—so George was encouraged to leap up and celebrate England scoring, to roar and wave and hug his mum and dad like any normal lad," Larcombe continues. "And even to shed a tear when it all ended in heartbreak.

“George is only just beginning to understand his destiny, but Kate has got the journey planned."

Iris Goldsztajn is a London-based journalist, editor and author. She is the morning editor at Marie Claire, and her work has appeared in the likes of InStyle, Cosmopolitan, Bustle and Shape. Iris writes about everything from celebrity news and relationship advice to the pitfalls of diet culture and the joys of exercise. She has many opinions on Harry Styles, and can typically be found eating her body weight in cheap chocolate.