Prince George's First Trip Announced
Prince George is picking up his royal duties this week, despite being only five months old.
Kensington Palace announced plans Thursday that include the youngest member of the royal family on a much-anticipated tour of New Zealand and Australia.
Prince George will embark overseas with his parents, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, sometime during the month of April.
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The trip will mark the first official visit to Australia and New Zealand by the Duchess, also known as Kate Middleton.
The Palace outlined details of the three-week tour that includes between and week and 10 days of official engagements.
"Further details on the exact dates and itinerary will be issued in due course," the statement added via Mail Online.
With his first international tour taking place in Australia, Prince George is following in his father's footsteps. Prince William was just nine months old when he visited the nation for the first time with his mother Princess Diana and father Prince Charles.
However, there is marginal doubt that Prince George will go on the tour. The decision on whether to take him will occur nearer to the time.
"It is anticipated and planned for that he will go," said the Palace.
Moreover, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will more than likely refuse to leave their child at home, unlike previous generations of royalty who were often absent for extended periods of time.
Meanwhile, on the same day that the Duke and Duchess' tour was announced, a trial handling a phone-hacking case revealed years-old voicemails stolen from Middleton's phone.
Members of the jury at the phone-hacking trial heard messages that belonged to both the Duchess and her brother-in-law Prince Harry on Thursday. The messages were hacked by Rupert Murdoch's "News of the World," and it was the first time the London court heard that the royal family were among the victims of the phone-hacking.
At the time of one message, Middleton was dating Prince William who was in officer training at Sandhurst. According to the hacked voicemail, the prince "nearly got shot" with blank rounds during a training exercise in Aldershot, the BBC reported.
In another message to his girlfriend, William said he was going "beagling," which is hunting rabbits with dogs and later used the pet name "babykins" for Middleton.
"Hi baby, it's me," William began in another message, according to Yahoo News U.K.
In several messages, the prince would conclude his voicemails to Middleton by saying, "Lots of love, I'll speak to you soon."
Those accused on the trial claim innocence as the hearings continue this week.
