Kate Middleton Shares the Tricky Milestone Prince George is Mastering

Wasn’t it just yesterday that Prince William and Kate Middleton were on the steps of the Lindo Wing, holding a newborn Prince George? Now, before our eyes, the future king is nine years old—and learning to tie his own necktie for his school uniform.

While greeting well-wishers in Wales this week, the new Princess of Wales revealed that George is working on mastering the complicated skill after complimenting the school uniform of one boy who gathered to meet her.

Hello! reported that Kate asked the boy if he had tied his own tie and was impressed when he confirmed that he did.

“Well done, you,” she said. “I’ve been teaching George because he has got to wear a tie now for school, so I’m having to teach him how to do it. But well done, you’ve done a good job with your tie. Nice to meet you.”

George, along with younger siblings Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, are new day pupils at Lambrook School. At Lambrook’s preview day on September 7, George and Louis wore Lambrook’s boys’ summer uniform of a checked button down and shorts, but, according to People, “George must wear a tie with the regular daywear uniform as the weather gets colder. His younger brother, however, remains exempt from adding a necktie until he begins Year 3!”

We have had plenty of occasions to see George in a tie as of late, either for happy occasions or somber ones. George has been spotted at multiple sporting events—tennis, soccer—in a tie, and also in one at the funerals of his great-grandparents Prince Philip in 2021 and Queen Elizabeth just this past month.

For Her late Majesty’s funeral on September 19, George wore a tie with his navy suit, likely selected to match the Royal Air Force uniform worn by his father, Prince William.