While it may be some time until Prince William becomes King William—given his father, Prince Charles, will accede to the throne before him—that is certainly not going to stop People magazine (as well as many other outlets) from theorizing about the day William and Kate (along with George, Charlotte, and a younger sibling to come) move on into Buckingham Palace. People has a splashy cover story this week featuring the cover line: “PRINCE WILLIAM: LIFE AS A DAD & FUTURE KING!”

Inside, the piece offers some analysis on how the Queen has been “gently guiding him along the path to the throne” throughout William’s life. According to Robert Lacey—a historian who also consults on Netflix’s The Crown—William and the Queen have always enjoyed a “special closeness,” and she has “taken a particular interest in him.” (This will be a fun arc on Season . . . 3? 4? of The Crown—sadly not to be played by Claire Foy!)

Lacey explains, “It’s no secret that [the Queen] and Charles have had a prickly relationship at times . . . When William became a teenager, she would have him at Windsor Castle and would open the state boxes and guide him through the papers. It was William’s constitutional education.” Meanwhile, William has spoken several times about the way in which the Queen has helped prepare him for his monarch future. He told the BBC last year that she is “the best role model I could have,” and that she offers “more of a soft influencing, modest kind of guidance.”

While William is still likely some years away from become king, we may begin seeing his current role shift slightly. People notes that some “insiders” believe William may start joining his grandmother at her official appearances more frequently, given that Prince Philip has retired from public life.