Prince George Makes Rare Solo Appearance with His Mom (and He's All Grown Up)

This is a big year for Prince George. The soon-to-be-minted 13-year-old will follow in his father's (and uncle's) footsteps, attending Eton College in the fall. (His siblings, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, will remain at Lambrook School in Berkshire, near Windsor.) As the third-in-line to the British throne grows up, he's also being slowly prepared for a life in the spotlight as future king. Over the weekend, Prince George made a rare solo appearance with his mother, Princess Catherine, at a royal engagement of highly personal interest.

In the video shared by Kensington Palace, Prince George and Princess Catherine can be seen visiting the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight at RAF Coningsby. The cover photo shows the 12-year-old nearly matching his mother in height—a far cry from his days of knee-high socks and sailor suits as a toddler. The mother-son duo stepped out to mark Armed Forces Day.

"Learning about the extraordinary history of these aircraft and meeting the pilots and engineers who keep their legacy alive," the caption read. "A powerful reminder of the courage, skill and dedication of those who serve, past and present. Thank you to all those who have served and continue to serve."

Prince George has a deep interest in flying; back in 2024, Town & Country reported that the youngster has been reportedly taking flying lessons. It appears he may chart a similar path to his father, as Prince William is a trained RAF pilot and worked as a full-time pilot with the East Anglian Air Ambulance for two years.

The last public outing the young prince undertook was accompanying his family to Trooping the Colour, the official birthday celebration of King Charles II. As he continues to step into more public spaces of royal life, it'll be interesting to see Prince George's personality and interests develop. But one thing's for sure—stepping into the fighter plane, he looked like a natural.