Prince George “Has What It Takes to Be the Future King of England”

It’s a big future job for a current little boy, but, according to an insider speaking to Us Weekly, eight-year-old Prince George will make a good future king someday, and that “his confidence has grown leaps and bounds over the last couple of years,” the source tells the magazine.

“He is assertive, self-assured and knows what he wants, and doesn’t hold back on speaking his mind,” the insider said. “His personality is really starting to shine.”

Though still a kid, “Prince George is already showing that he has what it takes to be the future King of England,” the source said. In addition to being a “fun-loving” kid with a “cute, mischievous side”—he apparently loves to play pranks on parents Prince William and Kate Middleton and younger siblings Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, making everyone laugh—George is also “incredibly tidy” and “immaculate,” according to the insider.

“Despite the responsibilities he’ll entail in his future role, Kate and William don’t want to see him grow up too quickly,” the source said. “They’re determined to give him as much of a normal childhood as possible, and it’s working wonders. He’s such a lovable, down-to-earth little boy. It’s clear Prince William and Kate are raising him well.”

Like his grandfather Prince Charles and his mother the Duchess of Cambridge before him, George is quite the artist, displaying skill “well beyond his years,” the insider said.

“He copies the art and photographs that are up in his Kensington Palace and Anmer Hall homes,” the source said. “He’ll spend hours painting and drawing and absolutely loves it. Kate and William are astonished by how good he is and have framed some of his paintings and given them to [Queen] Elizabeth as gifts. His favorite thing to do is draw pictures of his family.”

A different source previously told the magazine that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have taken a “modern approach” to raising their three children, saying “the royals are renowned for being ‘stiff upper lip,’ but William and Kate are moving away from that mentality,” the insider said. “Open communication is key for them. [But they] set boundaries and have rules in place.”

And, while George has all the right stuff to one day be king, for now we’re content to enjoy him being a jovial, creative-minded kid.