Princess Catherine’s Absence from the Earthshot Prize Awards This Year Will Leave Prince William “Kicking Himself,” Royal Expert Says

After attending husband Prince William’s inaugural Earthshot Prize Awards in London in 2021 and then the second iteration in Boston in 2022, the Princess of Wales will reportedly not be in attendance for the third year of the awards ceremony, which will take place in Singapore next month. The reason? Her eldest son, Prince George, is said to be sitting for exams (possibly for entrance into Eton?), and she wants to be on hand to support him.

Few (if any) would argue that this is the wrong decision—including, presumably, William—but that doesn’t mean that Kate’s call won’t leave the Prince of Wales “kicking himself,” royal expert Jennie Bond said, per The Mirror. 

“I cheered out loud when I learned that Catherine had chosen to stay home with George,” said Bond, a former royal correspondent for BBC. “It’s absolutely the right decision. Official duties will come and go; children need their parents, and they grow up fast. There will be more Earthshot events and prizes. But this year, George has his own big event going on—exams.”

It truly does mark a shift in royal parenting, in which, while duty is important, nothing comes before the children. And, while William might be frustrated that the dates clashed as they did, he, of course, will support his wife’s decision: “It’s entirely right that his mum should be there to help him through them,” Bond said of George’s exams. “I expect William is kicking himself that his schedule clashes with George’s exams, but he will be wholly supportive of Catherine staying home to help their son.”

George and his parents were seen touring Eton back in June; boys enroll at Eton at age 13 (which is three years away for George), so, if accepted, George won’t begin there until 2026. Eton—which both William and Prince Harry attended—is nearby Windsor Castle and Adelaide Cottage, where the Wales family of five now live.

And, though William won’t be on hand for George’s exams, George (and his other two children, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis) won’t be far from his mind as he continues the work of Earthshot; William previously told the BBC that he is thinking of the next generation when it comes to his determination to save the planet with his Earthshot Prize work. “If we’re not careful, we’re robbing from our children’s future, what we do now,” he said. “And I think that’s not fair. And so I’m trying to use my little bit of influence, my little bit of profile to highlight some incredible people doing amazing things and will genuinely help try and fix some of these problems.”

Kate, by the way, has plenty more chances to attend the Earthshot Prize Awards; launched in 2020, the initiative will continue until at least 2030.