HOW TIME FLIES!

From chubby-cheeked baby to confident heir, Prince George is growing up fast and learning to embrace his destiny

- NICIDE WET

ON 22 July 2013 a little boy took his first breath in the Lindo Wing at St Mary's Hospital in London.

There was something special about this one: he was the future king of England. And from the moment the world first caught a glimpse of him swaddled in a white blanket, the fascination began.

Since then we've watched Prince George Alexander Louis grow from an adorable baby to a polite young boy.

At the age of 10 George is like many kids his age-fun-loving, active, crazy about engines. But his destiny was determined the moment he was conceived and guiding him into the future are a mother and father determined to ensure he remains as well-balanced as possible.

RAISING A KING

Kate and William "consciously set out to achieve a sense of normality for their kids", an insider says.

The Princess of Wales drives George, Princess Charlotte (8) and Prince Louis (5) to school and makes sure either she or William is home when they return.

They love to get messy, whether playing rough-and-tumble in the garden or making pizza. Kate is happiest when she's "with my family outside in the countryside and we're all filthy dirty".

"Coming from a different back-ground she appreciates the importance of having family time," a palace insider tells People. "She wasn't brought up in that aristocratic setting where you see the children for a short time. Those children look happy with life. A lot of it is the stabilising normality Kate brings!"

They want George to get used to public life but have a grounded upbringing. "It's a massive balancing act" another palace source says.

Royal expert Angela Levin says Kate is acutely aware of the pressure of raising a future king. "It's a very heavy burden to carry!"

George was told of his destiny around his seventh birthday, says royal biographer Robert Lacey.