The secret Catherine and William have decided to keep from Prince George

At five years old, it's likely that Prince George has a pretty limited understanding about the significance of his family - and his place as third-in-line to the throne.

And according to a report from The Sun, that's exactly how the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge want things to stay for their eldest son, at least for the time being.

Reportedly, Catherine and William have decided to keep George in the dark about his eventual future as King, in order to ensure he has as 'normal' a childhood as possible.

William himself has, in the past, said, "There'll be a time and a place to bring George up and understand how he fits in, in the world.

"But right now, it's just a case of keeping a secure, stable environment around him and giving him as much love as I can as a father."

While of course, it's likely that George has an understanding of his rather unusual position - given the regular press interest in his life - it's also perhaps a given that the Prince has no idea that he is eventually expected to be King.

And Catherine and William's decision to not explicitly spell out his future to him appears to be a decision made in order to take the pressure off their son, and to allow him to enjoy a normal life growing up.

Catherine Mayer, who wrote Charles: The Heart of a King, revealed that George's father William struggled with the knowledge of his future when he was growing up.

She said, "With George they are trying to delay that moment of realisation and give him normality before they thrust this on him.

"But it will be, nevertheless, part of his upbringing both in terms of what he sees his parents and grandparents doing and probably quite soon a beginning of an understanding that he is in public life and what that means."

Speaking about his and George's futures as monarchs in a BBC interview in 2016, Prince William revealed that he was careful not to take on the reality of his 'duty' too heavily.

He said, "It's about finding your own way, at the right time. And if you're not careful, duty can weigh you down an awful lot at a very young age. I think you've got to develop into the duty role."

As he has grown up, Prince George has famously shyed away from the media glare, prefering to cling to his parents whilst out and about in front of the cameras.

Sister Princess Charlotte on the other hand appears, for the moment, to enjoy interacting with the press, and is regularly pictured waving and smiling to cameras on the few occasions she has been seen in public.

We're sure that when the time is right, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be there to help George in whatever way he needs as he prepares for his future.