Prince George, the seven-year-old son of Prince William and Kate Middleton, understands he is "different" in some way from his siblings. As per a royal expert, despite their efforts, the little boy is aware that he'll have a "different future" than Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

According to royal author and expert Katie Nicholl, the Duke and the Duchess of Cambridge are treating all their children equally. Prince George, who is third-in-line to the British throne, after his grandfather Prince Charles and father Prince William, does not get any extra perks because he's the "future heir."

"They're not raising him to be spoilt or to have an inflated sense of his own importance. He doesn't get special treatment just because he's the future heir. They make a point of ensuring their three children feel equal and that they're all treated the same," Nicholl told Ok!

Nevertheless, George has developed an understanding at an early age that his life will not pan out as his siblings. However, the royal parents are making sure that their son is protected from being burdened by the weight of his future responsibilities, unlike his father. In addition, he is often taken away for special photoshoots with his great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth II and other heirs to the throne.

"I think George understands, like William did from a very early age, that he's different from his younger brother and sister and that he'll have a different future," Nicholl explained. "After all, he gets taken away to do photoshoots with Her Majesty the Queen, so he must notice he's been singled out. But I don't think William and Kate have made a big thing of saying to George, 'One day you will be King.' They want to protect him from that moment."

Royal followers will remember that the Christmas 2019 saw some photos from the family that included the queen and the three heirs to the throne. There was also special footage that featured George joining his father, grandfather, and the queen in preparations for making Christmas puddings.

The parents' decision to protect George stems from William's struggles at an early age. The knowledge of his future role of king weighed heavily on his shoulders when he was young. "As a young man, William really struggled with that notion of kingship. The realisation that he had no choice about which path his life would take, that he couldn't become a doctor or a vet if he chose, weighed very heavily on him," Nicholl said.

Prince George
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have released an official portrait of Prince George to mark his 4th birthday AFP/Getty

As per the author of "The Make of a Royal Romance," William was often "treated differently" from his younger brother. He would be given "first choice of sandwiches and cake" during their time with Queen Mother. And Princess Diana was apparently aware that Prince Harry didn't get the same attention as William. As for George, Kate and William are trying to reduce the gap between the siblings and provide each one of them a similar nurturing environment.