Prince George's life is set to change dramatically from this year. Here's why.

This year is one of massive change for Prince George of Wales as he begins a new chapter towards his eventual role as King.

On July 22, the heir to the British throne will celebrate his 12th birthday and, if royal tradition is followed, the way he travels with his family will be significantly different.

A new school for Prince George could soon be on the cards, too.

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The young prince is currently second-in-line to the British throne, behind his father Prince William, the Prince of Wales.

His younger siblings Princess Charlotte, nine, and Prince Louis, six, are next in the line of succession.

Prince George has been slowly learning the ropes from his father in preparation for his destiny as King.

His first official public engagement came at just nine months old, during Prince William and Kate's visit to Australia and New Zealand in April, 2014.

Prince George played with 10 other babies during a Plunket Play Group event at Government House in Wellington with his parents watching closely on.

Fast-forward to May, 2023, when Prince George took on his most prominent role yet aged just nine – as a page boy during the coronation of his grandfather King Charles III.

When he turns 12 on July 22, 2025, he will mark a new "first".

According to royal family tradition, Prince George will no longer be able to fly in an aircraft with his father after turning 12.

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The rule is in place to protect the royal family's future line of succession, in case of a catastrophic event mid-air.

The late Queen Elizabeth II had to give special permission for Prince William and Prince George to travel on the same aircraft when they flew to Australia and New Zealand in 2014 as royal protocol usually dictates that direct heirs to the throne travel separately.

It is believed the special permission has been granted at other times since then.

News of the unusual rule was revealed ahead of Prince George's 11th birthday by King Charles's former pilot, Graham Laurie.

He told OK! magazine: "We flew all four: the Prince [Charles], the Princess [the late Diana], Prince William and Prince Harry, up until Prince William was 12 years old.

"After that, he had to have a separate aircraft and we could only fly all four together when they were young with the written permission of Her Majesty.

"When William became 12, he would fly normally in a 125 from Northolt and we would fly the 146 out with the other three on."

But as Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis are not destined to be full-time working royals like George, they are likely to be allowed to fly with him and their mother, the Princess of Wales.

This year will also force the Prince and Princess of Wales to make a crucial decision in their son's future education.

Prince George was expected to start at boarding school when he turned 11 but he has remained at his current place, Lambrook School which he attends with his siblings.

The school allows students until the age of 13, meaning Prince George has another year there before he has to move.

The Wales children started at Lambrook in September, 2022, marking the first time all three attended the same educational facility.

In the two years since, Catherine has been spotted touring other schools in preparation for Prince George's eventual move.

Speculation about a change in school intensified earlier this year but any plans for a move were put on hold in the wake of the princess' cancer diagnosis.

The new school year begins in September and Kensington Palace has not yet revealed where Prince George will go when he turns 13, even though a decision has likely already been made.

The two main contenders were said to be the exclusive co-educational Marlborough College, the former school of Kate and her siblings Pippa and James, along with Princess Eugenie.

Fees for the boarding school are approximately £46,995 per year (around $90,000).

Rumours abounded that William and Kate were considering the school for their eldest son after Kate and George were seen on a private visit to the campus in Wiltshire, about an hour's drive from the Wales' current home in Windsor, Adelaide Cottage.

But if that does happen, Prince George would be parting with tradition followed by his father and grandfather, King Charles, by attending a co-educational school.

Prince William and Kate are keeping their options open, with the royal couple previously visiting Eton College in Windsor, the alma mater of Prince William and Prince Harry.

King Charles, and his father Prince Philip, attend Gordonstoun in Scotland.

Another option for Prince George was said to be St Edward's School in Oxford, which costs a £47,000 ($90,564) per year.

The school is just an hour from the Wales' home in Windsor.

Royal commentator Katie Nicholl recently told The Mirror that whatever school is chosen, it will have been made in Prince George's best interests.

"[Marlborough College] was a very happy school life for [the Princess of Wales], but William has very fond memories of Eton, which has a long history with aristocrats and members of the royal family," Nicholl said.

"There's always the possibility of traditions being changed. William and Harry didn't end up following in their father's footsteps by going to Gordonstoun, and it may be that George breaks the Eton mould and ends up somewhere else.

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"Whatever happens, it'll be a decision made by William and Kate with George's best interests factored in."

Prince George was apparently told about his future role as King of England when he was just seven years old.

Some might argue that conversation should have taken place when he was younger to better prepare him for schoolyard taunts, for example.

But the Prince and Princess of Wales have been doing all they can to make Prince George experience a normal life as possible ever since he was born inside London's St Mary's Hospital on July 22, 2013.

In his book Battle of Brothers, royal historian Robert Lacey said Prince William told his son about the title that awaits him "sometime around his seventh birthday".

William previously wanted to hold off on discussing the "life of future royal service and duty" to give George a "normal family upbringing", with he and Kate wanting to approach the subject at a "controlled moment of their choice".

Lacey wrote: "William has not revealed to the world how and when he broke the big news to his son. Maybe one day George will tell us the story himself."

Prince William who learned from the best: his late grandmother Queen Elizabeth.

They were said to have had regular catch-ups while William was a schoolboy, allowing the monarch to pass on her knowledge gradually.

One would assume Prince William is doing the same with his eldest son now, especially as that future role is getting all the more real.

Queen Elizabeth II had an historic 70-year-reign. Her son, King Charles III, won't have anything close to that, nor will Prince William.

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