Royal Family Fans Royal Family Fans
A major new chapter begins for Prince George today as the 13-year-old arrives at Eton College for the first time. As the eldest son of the Prince and Princess of Wales and second in line to the British throne, his move to the famous boarding school represents an important step in the young royal’s life.
George makes the transition to Eton after finishing his time at Lambrook, the independent preparatory school in Berkshire where he studied alongside his younger siblings, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
His choice of secondary school also strengthens a long royal family connection with Eton. Prince William spent his teenage years there, as did Prince Harry, while George’s great-uncle Earl Spencer is another former pupil of the historic institution.
Attending one of Britain’s best-known schools comes with a considerable price tag, with yearly fees currently reaching around £65,000. Eton’s influence stretches far beyond the Royal Family, however, with 20 British prime ministers among the notable figures educated there during the school’s centuries-long history.
READ MORE: Prince William Takes on Important Royal Duty as He Represents Charles at King Harald’s Funeral
Boarding life will give Prince George a considerable degree of independence from the beginning. Like his fellow pupils, he will have a bedroom of his own in one of Eton’s 25 boarding houses. Around 55 boys live in each house, supervised and supported by a house master and other members of the residential team.
Melanie Sanderson, managing editor of the Good Schools Guide, highlighted the impressive environment awaiting the young royal, describing Eton as having “spectacular facilities and spacious grounds.”
Although centuries of history are visible throughout the college, Sanderson stressed that its approach to education is far from stuck in the past. She explained: “Yet despite its ancient buildings, it is a modern school with a progressive outlook.”
George will also arrive at Eton with a very different future ahead of him from most of his classmates. Sanderson pointed out that boys beginning the school at 13 would not ordinarily have any clear idea of where their lives or careers might eventually take them. For the future king, however, much of his long-term role has already been determined.
Sanderson explained that George’s position makes his arrival at Eton rather different from that of the typical 13-year-old pupil. With William and Catherine able to consider an exceptional range of educational options for their eldest son, they ultimately concluded that Eton would provide the strongest foundation for the responsibilities awaiting him.
She added: “Prince George, however, faces a very particular future and his parents, with an unrivalled choice of schools available to them, have decided that an Eton education represents the best preparation for life as a modern working royal.”
Settling into boarding school can be a different experience for every child. According to the Good Schools Guide, some pupils quickly feel comfortable with their new surroundings and routine, while others need more time before Eton begins to feel like home.
George is also entering a school whose former pupils have gone on to achieve prominence in numerous fields, rather than simply within royal or political circles.
Among the well-known political figures educated there are former prime ministers Lord David Cameron and Boris Johnson, both of whom attended Eton long before beginning their careers in Westminster.
The college has an equally impressive list of names from the entertainment industry. Actors Eddie Redmayne, Dominic West, Damian Lewis and Tom Hiddleston are all former Eton pupils who later established successful careers on stage and screen.
George will also be able to draw on his father’s personal experience of the school. William has previously recalled his Eton years with affection, particularly because they allowed him to experience something approaching an ordinary teenage school life.
Speaking when he was 18, William said in June 2000: “I’ve really enjoyed being able to go about Eton as just another student.”
More than two decades later, his eldest son is beginning the same journey. George will now have the chance to create an Eton experience of his own at a school that has educated generations of royals, political leaders and other notable figures.
