Prince George, aged 13, has begun his first day at Eton College, the prestigious independent school in Berkshire, accompanied by his parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales. The royal family arrived at School Yard, the historic quadrangle, where they were greeted by headmaster Simon Henderson and provost Sir Nicholas Coleridge. Henderson told the future king, "Welcome, good luck, enjoy it."
Arrival at Eton College
The prince and princess made the short journey from their residence at Forest Lodge, Windsor Great Park, to the school. Heavy rainfall had persisted throughout the morning, and only Kate sheltered beneath an umbrella as the family crossed the courtyard. William carried a folded umbrella, while George stood between his parents. The group exchanged brief words, and Henderson was overheard telling George, "Welcome, good luck, enjoy it." When a member of the group mentioned the rain, the provost responded with "typical," prompting William to add, to laughter, "If it rains, it rains for ages."
Following the exchange, the group moved through a doorway into one of the oldest sections of the school, where Kate was seen gently placing her hand on her son's back during introductions with senior staff. A photograph of George in his school uniform was later released to commemorate the occasion.
Eton's History and Fees
Eton College, founded in 1440 by King Henry VI, has a long history of producing prime ministers, authors, and actors. The school's annual fees stand at £63,298, reflecting its reputation for fostering independence and leadership. Pupils are expected to take on a wide range of non-academic responsibilities, and entry requirements include rigorous assessments. The school's distinguished alumni include actors Tom Hiddleston, Hugh Laurie, and Eddie Redmayne, former Prime Minister Lord David Cameron, authors George Orwell and Ian Fleming, and adventurer Bear Grylls.
Prince George follows in the footsteps of his father, Prince William, who attended Eton for five years from 1995, serving as house captain and prefect before studying at St Andrews University. His uncle, the Duke of Sussex, also attended the school, starting three years after William.
George's New Life at Eton
George celebrated his 13th birthday in July and spent part of the summer in Scotland with his family, following his departure from Lambrook School, a private preparatory school in Berkshire where he was educated alongside his siblings, Princess Charlotte, 11, and Prince Louis, eight. At Eton, teachers are known as beaks, and pupils reside in one of 25 boarding houses, each overseen by a house master and dame who provide pastoral care.
On arrival, George was dressed in smart casual attire—dark trousers, a jacket, shirt, and tie—before later changing into "school dress," the iconic uniform standardised in the 1960s, comprising a black tailcoat, waistcoat, pinstriped trousers, and a stiff white collar. Further new pupils made their arrival later that morning, following the prince and his parents, with many likely to have brought their belongings in traditional boarding school trunks.
Both William and Harry were afforded the opportunity to complete their time at Eton free from media intrusion, and William and Kate will likely hope George is granted the same respect.
