Future of monarchy summed up in one touching image of father and son: Royal experts reveal why William and George's 'mutual devotion' is pivotal

At first glance, they could easily have been mistaken for any other father and son huddled together in the stands at a late-night football game.

Dressed in an Adidas Aston Villa jacket and shorts, 13-year-old Prince George was captured fondly leaning on the Prince of Wales' shoulder as the pair watched their beloved football team take on Barcelona at Camp Nou Stadium earlier this month.

It is certainly a world away from the images of Prince William and Prince Harry as children – frequently photographed at formal engagements in the upper-class uniform of tweeds, smart shirts and ties.

But while George may be in the throws of his early teenage years at Eton, he certainly seems to harbour no reservations about publicly showing his love for his father.

According to royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams, this 'charming' image of George and William directly showcases a new era of monarchy which is key to ensuring its long-term survival.

Mr Fitzwilliams told the Daily Mail: 'This simple, sweet moment was captured on camera and says more than any posed photograph. Their mutual devotion is clear.

'What is delightful is that although he knows that every move is photographed, he was relaxed about it, which made this moment so natural.

'Their relationship is pivotal as, with only two working royals under 60, they, as future Kings, are the monarchy's future.'

Dressed in an Adidas Aston Villa jacket and shorts, 13-year-old Prince George was captured fondly leaning on the Prince of Wales' shoulder as the pair watched their beloved football team take on Barcelona at Camp Nou Stadium earlier this month

According to royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams, George and William's close bond directly showcases a new era of monarchy - and indeed is the key to ensuring its long-term survival

Mr Fitzwilliams told the Daily Mail: 'Their relationship is pivotal as, with only two working royals under 60, they, as future Kings, are the monarchy's future'

The royal expert noted that William and the Princess of Wales are firmly committed to 'putting their family first' - a parenting style that will help ensure their children can best preserve the future of the Firm. 

'George will benefit immeasurably by the close and loving relationship his parents have with each other, which has helped sustain them through her recent illness,' he said.

'As he moves closer to his destiny and is prepared for kingship, he has, in his father, as that charming photograph so clearly showed, a support in every way.'

The royal expert noted that while William and his father, now King Charles, share a rather close bond in adulthood, their relationship has faced its own issues.

'In the 1990s, the marriage of the Prince and Princess of Wales was collapsing very publicly. Diana's appearance on Panorama hurt him deeply, he was at Eton when it was broadcast,' explained Mr Fitzwilliams. 

'It is a matter of record that both his parents loved him deeply, but it would have been impossible to grow up without being affected by the way relations between the couple worsened, culminating in Diana's tragic death in an accident in Paris.'

But while Charles was often seen as more traditional, Diana was arguably the first modern royal to understand the importance of giving her children a taste of ordinary life beyond the gilded confines of the palace. 

She famously took William and Harry to Thorpe Park and McDonald’s, as well as to the cinema and on countless everyday outings, determined that they should experience the pleasures enjoyed by other children.

Her philosophy was that being royal should not mean being insulated from the real world.

And William, who has spoken openly about the influence his mother had on him, appears determined to pass on that same grounding to his own children.

Indeed, while rugby has traditionally been the sporting preference of many men from his social circle, William is a passionate football fan who regularly attends matches at Aston Villa, his favourite team.

His love of the game also offers a valuable point of connection with the public. Football is, after all, one of those rare institutions that cuts across class and background, and his enthusiasm gives the future king a highly relatable quality.

The royal expert noted that William and the Princess of Wales are firmly committed to 'putting their family first' - a parenting style that will help ensure their children can best preserve the future of the Firm

In recent years, William has spoken more candidly about his style of parenting and, indeed, his commitment to 'getting the balance between work and family life right'

In recent years, William has spoken more candidly about his style of parenting and, indeed, his commitment to 'getting the balance between work and family life right'.

Speaking to Schitt's Creek actor Eugene Levy for his Apple TV series The Reluctant Traveler last October, the Prince of Wales said: 'For me the most important thing in my life is family and everything is about the future.’

He added: ‘If you don’t start the children off now with a happy, healthy, stable home, I feel you’re setting them up for a bit of a hard time and a fall.’

The future King also revealed that  none of his children are allowed have mobile phones as he spoke about the importance of sitting down at the table for family meals.

The Prince of Wales said he and his wife Kate had imposed a 'strict' ban on the devices for Prince George, Princess Charlotte, 11, and eight-year-old Prince Louis.

When Levy asked if the Waleses and their children eat together, the Prince said: 'Yes absolutely, yes definitely. So, we sit and chat, it's really important. None of our children have any phones, which we're very strict about.'

Given that his own mother was once the most photographed woman in the world, William knows only too well the pressures that come with growing up under relentless public scrutiny.

He is no doubt keen for George to be able to enjoy his passion for football, like any other teenage boy, before he inherits the considerable responsibilities that come with the Crown.

For while George may blend into the crowd in his sporting anorak, he is not simply another royal child. As the future king, his childhood is inevitably different from that of his younger siblings.

William faces the unenviable task of preparing his son for a role that he himself has yet to assume, while ensuring that the weight of that destiny does not define every waking moment of his childhood.

The future King has previously hinted at how much the breakdown of his parents’ marriage affected his own sense of security as a child.

William, who has spoken openly about the influence his mother had on him, appears determined to pass on that same grounding to his own children

Speaking about the importance of a stable home, he said: ‘I think it’s really important that the atmosphere is created at home. You have to have that warmth, that feeling of safety, security, love.

'That was certainly part of my childhood. My parents got divorced when I was eight, so that lasted a short period of time.’

It is perhaps why he seems so conscious of creating the sort of stable family environment he believes is essential to raising emotionally grounded children.

Kate, too, has frequently championed the benefits of outdoor activities and sport for children’s mental health and wellbeing, as well as the confidence and resilience they can foster.

During a rare interview in the Prince of Wales' guest-edited Country Life, Kate, 44, offered a rare insight into her parenting approach with Prince George and his two siblings, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

Speaking to acclaimed author Robert Macfarlane, the royal revealed that she has to remind herself to give her own children 'freedom to explore, rather than constantly telling them what to see or what to think'.

Kate also discussed her fears about young people developing high levels of anxiety amid a world engulfed by technology that is ever-changing.

The future Queen noted that nature, in contrast, is a way children can develop their creative and imaginative skills outside of the world of screens.

During the magazine, William also mentions his other children, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, and discusses family walks with their dogs Orla and Otto, revealing how all three of his children love to get outdoors and explore.

He says they inspire his work on the future of the countryside and his commitment to creating a better place for successive generations.

In the magazine's leader column, he writes: 'The places you love best are not the ones you preserve unchanged, but the ones you keep quietly improving.

'One day, George, Charlotte and Louis may ask me what I did to help communities thrive… we didn't simply imagine a better future, we helped build it, so that someone else could build further still.'