The Queen prepared young Prince William to be king with weekly afternoon tea training sessions
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

Sign up to the GoodTo Newsletter. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information about how to do this, and how we hold your data, please see our privacy policy
Thank you for signing up to . You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
The Queen helped to prepare Prince William for his role in the Royal Family with one-to-one mentoring sessions over tea and lunch when he was a teenage boy at Eton.
- The Queen and Prince William have forged a close bond after years of mentoring.
- Her Majesty is believed to have given her grandson royal training sessions over tea and cake to prepare him for his royal duties and his future as king.
- This royal news (opens in new tab) comes after Prince Philip’s adorable tradition on the Queen’s birthday has been revealed as she faces 95th without him (opens in new tab)
The Royal Family has been rallying around the Queen following the death of Prince Philip earlier this month. The Queen faced her 95th birthday without The Duke of Edinburgh yesterday but The Firm is thought to have formed a rota so that she would not be left alone during the tough period.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are among the members of the family supporting and visiting The Queen in her period of mourning.
The Queen and her grandson Prince William have a very strong bond as she has been mentoring him since he was a child - with training sessions with tea and lunches, to prepare him for his role as king, starting when he was young.
Prince William is second in the line of succession (opens in new tab) and has been advised on his duties by the Queen for years.
OK! reports that when William was boarding at Eton College as a teenager, he would disappear for hours every Sunday to visit his grandmother at Windsor Castle.
The Queen would invite him for lunch and tea with her, during which they would have one-to-one mentoring talks about his future in the monarchy.
Katie Nicholl, author of Kate: The Future Queen said, "The Queen plays a very special dual role in William’s life. She is his sovereign, but also a very loving grandmother who wants to prepare him for the future."
William would also be given the opportunity to open up to his grandmother about the struggles he was facing as a school boy who would one day be king.
The sessions were inspired by the Queen's own experiences with her father before she grew up to take the throne.
Katie said, "He would have one-on-one time with his grandmother to talk about whatever was on his mind. She was there for him to unload on – but those sessions were also an opportunity for her to mentor and teach him, as her grandfather, George V, did with her.
"They became incredibly close and as his respect for her grew he began to embrace his destiny."

Naomi is a Lifestyle News Writer with the Lifestyle team and has recently earned her Gold Standard Diploma in Journalism from the NCTJ. She has a background in design, having studied Illustration at Plymouth University but has taken a leap into the world of journalism after always having a passion for writing. She currently writes pieces on beauty, fashion, and entertainment for Goodto.com and My Imperfect Life.
-
-
Stay On Board on Netflix: Where is Leo Baker now?
As Stay On Board lands on Netflix, many are asking, where is Leo Baker now? Here's what you need to know about the non-binary skateboarder
By Robyn Morris • Published
-
Where is Day Shift filmed? Real locations of the Jamie Foxx vampire film
We reveal the locations where Day Shift is filmed - the comedy horror featuring a pool cleaner moonlighting as a vampire killer is released
By Lucy Wigley • Published
-
Kate Middleton's plan to rebuild bridge between Prince William and Harry
Palace insiders reveal the Duchess of Cambridge's plan to reunite her husband and estranged brother-in-law
By Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse • Published
-
Prince William's embarrassing 'Never Have I Ever' confession moment in front of ex and Kate Middleton
Prince William played the secret spilling game during his university days and revealed some truths.
By Selina Maycock • Published
-
Princess Charlotte proves she’s been learning this royal protocol from dad Prince William
The young princess was spotted at the Commonwealth Games learning the royal ropes in safe hands
By Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse • Published
-
Prince William broke this royal rule with the Lionesses at Euros final - and a former butler says it was deliberate
Prince William's seemingly simple gesture actually shows a huge change in the royal family
By Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse • Published
-
Prince William and Kate Middleton urged to give up royal perk that’s becoming a ‘problem’
The Cambridge's favourite royal perk is presenting a relatability problem, warns a royal expert.
By Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse • Published
-
Kate Middleton and Prince William's tender but subtle gesture to support Princess Charlotte seen in new video
Kate Middleton and Prince William support Princess Charlotte in this adorable way.
By Selina Maycock • Published
-
Prince William and Kate Middleton wish Meghan Markle a happy birthday with rare public message
Prince William and Kate Middleton have shared rare snap to mark the Duchess of Sussexes' birthday.
By Selina Maycock • Published
-
Prince Harry once told William 'Kate could be friendlier to Meghan'
Prince Harry reportedly told William he thought Kate could be friendlier to his wife
By Caitlin Elliott • Published