The surprisingly important reason Prince George isn’t allowed to wear team shirts when attending football matches

There is a surprisingly important reason that Prince William and Kate Middleton won't let their son Prince George wear team shirts to football matches he attends - and it's all to do with keeping a balance between being a child and being a royal.

When Prince William and Prince George were spotted at a football match last week, with the father/son bonding night marking the end of George's Easter school break, many royal fans were confused at the youngsters formal attire.

While some royal fans were taken by George's sudden growth spurt that's sure to quickly make him on of the Royal Family's tallest members, it was the youngster's formal jacket that left many confused.

It wasn't out of character for the royal to be looking so dapper in the stands. When attending any sports match, from Wimbledon to a mid-week footie game, George always steps out in a suit, often with a smart tie, for the event. And there's a very important reason as to why.

According to reports in Yahoo! Life, it has long been a cause for discussion what George is, and is not, allowed to wear when stepping out. The magazine reports that Marion Bartoli, a former Wimbledon champ, explained, "Yesterday I had an afternoon tea with the [then] duchess and it was very much a discussion whether George will be allowed to wear the jersey tonight at Wembley or not. William was for it, Kate not so keen, so we'll see."

So why is there such an issue? Well, while George was allowed to wear an Aston Villa scarf for his latest football game appearance, Kate Middleton is keen to make sure he always wears a suit in public to clearly mark the boundaries between his public and private self.

Georgina Sturmer, a counsellor and psychology expert, said that with George growing up in the public eye thanks to his prominent position in the royal line of succession, when he's in a suit, he knows he will be seen and when he's in casuals, he can be his private self and let go of the pressures of being a public figure.

According to Sturmer, the simple fact of what George is wearing at any given time will help him in the future to set his own boundaries with his public and private self, making the seemingly unimportant measure one he will be thankful for in his older years.

"[Kate and William] should be clear to the children about measures that are taken to protect them," she explains. "This might include rules around photography and public appearances. If they have a good understanding of how their parents protected them, then they are perhaps less likely to look back with resentment."

In other royal news, Carole Middleton has become a real-life ‘Mary Poppins’ says family friend as she goes the golden mile with her grandparenting duties, while an expert has revealed that while Prince George, Charlotte and Louis may be royal, their favourite meals prove they’re just like any other kids. And Queen Camilla says she loves being a grandmother and would ‘recommend it to everybody’ as she reveals she plays ‘Wordle’ with her grandchildren every morning - and often wins!