Prince George is apparently favored by the Queen, royal insider says

A royal insider told the Daily Mail that the Queen apparently favors William and Kate’s oldest son, Prince George, and even leaves presents at the foot of his bed when he visits Buckingham Palace. George calls his 93-year-old grandmother “Gan Gan.”

Tomorrow, Prince George turns 6-years-old, and the Daily Mail reports he has requested a small family gathering – a telling sign of his supposedly shy personality. The Queen picks out little presents herself for his visits, so will no doubt have something planned for the big day.

The Queen “goes out of her way to spend time” with Prince George, who is now the older brother to 4-year-old Princess Charlotte and 1-year-old Prince Louis.

The royal insider also told the Daily Mail that Prince George’s favorite activities are spending time in the garden, making homemade pizzas from scratch, and being with his mother, the Duchess of Cambridge. The family of five reside at Anmer Hall, an estate in Norfolk.

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There was some controversy last year, when Prince George went on a grouse shoot last year in Scotland with his grandfather, the Prince of Wales, who royal insiders say is glad his grandson has taken to the outdoors.

The Duke and Duchess are working to motivate their children despite their wealth, fame, and privilege, the source says, and George is his “own man,” a source told Fabulous Magazine. He apparently selected his home as his birthday venue himself, a good sign for his parents, who want to have a “normal family.”

Prince George will return to Thomas’ Battersea in September, a lower school where he is currently a Year 2. There are rumors that another small birthday gathering will be held in London with some of the soon-to-be 6-year-old’s school friends, but with George spending his summer vacation in Norfolk, he isn’t as physically close to his classmates.

George is already growing more independent, thanks to his parents’ attention being drawn to his younger siblings, Fabulous Magazine reported.

The Duke of Cambridge has implied that George can be a handful in the past, so that independence may take some weight off his parents’ shoulders as they adjust to having three children at home.