She told The Mirror: "I love seeing [George] at football matches when he can let his hair down. But at big events like this, he looks as if he is taking it all in, and understanding that his life will be punctuated by national occasions where his will be a key role. And I’m sure his parents have schooled him in how to behave and what it all means."

Ms Bond added: "I think they had prepared him to sit down with some of the veterans, and he looked genuinely interested and concerned to hear their stories of the war.

"The VE Day commemorations may be the only opportunity George will ever have of speaking to men and women who served their King and country during the war."

Speaking of the young royal, she added: "One day he will be Chief of the Armed Forces himself, and he may well look back at some of those conversations and be glad that he had the chance to meet some of the few remaining veterans.

"It was noticeable that William sometimes put George first and foremost, letting him sit with veterans while he hovered behind. That was a clever and reassuring way for William to mentor his son."

Although George was allowed to attend, his siblings Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7, did not attend the special tea party in London. However, all three children joined their parents earlier in the day at special event to mark VE Day.