Kate Middleton and Prince George honored the UK's Armed Forces Day by reflecting on their visit to RAF Coningsby

NEED TO KNOW

• Prince George looked all grown up as he and his mom, Kate Middleton, visited the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight at RAF Coningsby
• In a photo of the mother-son duo posing in front of a historic military aircraft, George appeared to be nearly his mom’s height
• Alongside a video of their rare outing, the royal family described the visit as a “powerful reminder of the courage, skill and dedication of those who serve, past and present”

Prince George was just inches away from towering over his mom, Kate Middleton as they stepped out for a rare joint outing.

In a video shared on the Prince and Princess of Wales' Instagram account on Saturday, June 27, the mother-son duo were seen honoring Armed Forces Day by “reflecting on time spent with the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight at RAF Coningsby.”

Kate, 44, and George, 12, took turns sitting in the cockpits of various historic military aircraft during their visit to the Royal Air Force base.

And while George already looked all grown up as he explored the "extraordinary history of these aircrafts," a photo of him standing next to his mother further highlighted just how much he's grown, as he appeared to be nearly her height.

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“Learning about the extraordinary history of these aircraft and meeting the pilots and engineers who keep their legacy alive. A powerful reminder of the courage, skill and dedication of those who serve, past and present,” the post's caption read. “Thank you to all those who have served and continue to serve.”

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The duo's latest outing comes amid George's preparations to attend Eton College in the fall. His dad, Prince William, graduated from Eton College, one of Britain's oldest and most tradition-bound schools, in June 2000. 

“Eton was a much-needed haven for William,” royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith told PEOPLE in this week's cover story. "It will give George a rigorous education that he will need for his role."

Although William, 44, and Kate have tried to give their kids — Prince George, Princess Charlotte, 11, and Prince Louis, 8 — relatively normal upbringings by moving from London to Windsor and largely keeping their children out of the spotlight, a source close to the family told PEOPLE that “George has always wanted to follow in his dad's footsteps.”

So, the family ultimately decided to allow George to enroll in a school steeped in both royal history and personal significance. 

“They have been very careful not to pressure any of them to appear on the public stage too often,” Queen Elizabeth's former press secretary Ailsa Anderson told PEOPLE of the royal couple and their kids. “It's been a gentle introduction to royal life, which has let Prince George build his confidence.”

"Both William and Catherine carried out a lot of research to make the right decision,” she added. 

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