Long before his name was tragically entwined with Princess Diana’s final chapter, Dodi Al-Fayed had already walked the halls of Britain’s most prestigious military academy — Sandhurst. It was here, on the vast parade grounds and within the storied stone walls, that Dodi trained as a young man in the 1970s, learning discipline, leadership, and the kind of rigid structure that defined so many royal and aristocratic lives.
Decades later, those same grounds would see Diana’s sons — Prince William and Prince Harry — march in uniform, carrying forward the Windsor tradition of military service. And now, in 2025, whispers inside royal circles suggest that history may once again be preparing to repeat itself, this time through Diana’s grandson.
William’s Quiet Moves
According to well-placed insiders, Prince William has recently been making quiet visits to military training sites across Britain. On the surface, the visits appear routine, part of his role as heir to the throne and his long-standing connection to the armed forces. But sources close to the family insist there may be a more personal motive: William is believed to be exploring options for his eldest son, Prince George, as the young royal approaches the age where decisions about education and training will shape his future.
“William knows how important Sandhurst was in his own life,” one palace insider told PEOPLE. “It gave him structure, perspective, and a sense of service that he still carries today. He wants George to experience something similar — to feel connected to both duty and legacy.”
The Ghost of Diana’s Story
What makes the possibility all the more intriguing is the shadow of Diana herself. Her final companion, Dodi Al-Fayed, also studied at Sandhurst before pursuing a career in film and later entering her life during that fateful summer of 1997. Their romance, cut short by the car crash in Paris that claimed both their lives, remains one of the most talked-about chapters of Diana’s story.
For royal watchers, the idea that Diana’s grandson might one day walk the same corridors as the man she loved in her final days feels almost poetic. “It’s eerie, almost fated,” one commentator noted. “Diana’s past, her sons’ legacy, and her grandson’s destiny would all converge in the same place.”
A Generational Thread
Sandhurst has long been a proving ground for royals. From Prince Philip to Prince Edward to William and Harry, the academy has been a rite of passage, offering both military rigor and a symbolic connection to tradition. Choosing Sandhurst for George would signal William and Catherine’s intent to honor that continuity, even as they try to raise their children with a more modern, grounded approach.
Speculation intensified earlier this month when William was spotted speaking at length with senior officers during a low-key engagement. “He wasn’t just making polite conversation,” said one observer. “It looked like a father asking serious questions about what the future might look like for his son.”
Public Curiosity
The possibility has already set social media ablaze. Fans are fascinated by the idea of George — Diana’s grandson — marching the same grounds once graced by both his father and Harry, as well as Dodi Al-Fayed. “The circle feels complete,” one Twitter user wrote. Another added: “Imagine George at Sandhurst, carrying both his grandmother’s memory and his father’s legacy.”
Yet not everyone is convinced. Some commentators argue that William and Catherine may choose a more modern path for George, perhaps even an international education that reflects the increasingly global role of the monarchy. Others believe Eton College, where William and Harry studied before Sandhurst, remains the likeliest next step.
A Legacy in Waiting
For now, the Palace remains silent. No official decisions have been announced, and George himself is still years away from any formal training. But those who know William best say the heir to the throne has already begun thinking in generational terms.
“William is always conscious of Diana’s legacy,” said one royal historian. “He’s determined that George grows up understanding where he comes from — the sacrifices, the traditions, the history. Sandhurst is part of that story. And whether George goes there or not, the very fact that William is considering it shows how deeply the past continues to shape the future.”
Diana’s Unfinished Story
In the end, the speculation speaks less about logistics and more about the enduring pull of Diana’s memory. The thought of George one day training at the same academy as Dodi — the man who shared Diana’s last summer — is a reminder that the Princess of Wales continues to cast a long shadow over her family’s journey.
For William, perhaps the decision is not just about education, but about weaving together the threads of duty, love, and loss into something his son can carry proudly. And for the public, the mere possibility is enough to keep the conversation alive: will Diana’s grandson one day step into the same institution that tied her past to her sons’ legacy — and now, perhaps, to his own destiny?