Prince George begins at Eton College, following Prince William’s path. See the new photos, school traditions, fees and details about royal life there.

Prince George Begins a New Chapter at Eton College

Prince George has started the next stage of his education at one of Britain’s best-known schools. The 13-year-old royal arrived at Eton College with Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, marking a major family milestone and a direct link to his father’s school years.

New photographs released by Kensington Palace show Prince George in his school uniform before his first day. The images capture a private family moment that also carries wider significance for the future king.

Prince George Arrives at His Father’s Former School

Prince George began classes at Eton College on Tuesday, September 8, 2026. He was accompanied by both parents and greeted by headteacher Simon Henderson, who welcomed him and wished him well.

For the occasion, Prince George wore a dark suit with a blue shirt and tie. His regular Eton clothing will eventually include the school’s distinctive formal dress: a black tailcoat, waistcoat, pinstriped trousers and a stiff white collar.

The school’s formal appearance is one of its most recognizable traditions. For Prince George, however, the setting is also deeply familiar through his father’s history there.

Prince William attended Eton from 1995 to 2000. His decision to attend the school broke with a longstanding royal pattern because several members of the wider family had studied at Gordonstoun in Scotland.

Kensington Palace Releases Three Photos

Kensington Palace released three photographs to mark Prince George’s first day. The images were taken before he entered the school and were captured by photographer Matt Porteous, who has worked with the Wales family on several occasions.

The photos provide a carefully controlled glimpse of the transition. They show Prince George dressed for the occasion while his parents accompany him to the school grounds.

The release follows a familiar royal tradition of sharing official images during important moments, including birthdays, school milestones and overseas tours. It also allows the family to acknowledge public interest while preserving much of the child’s personal life.

What Makes Eton College So Significant?

Eton College was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI. Despite its university-like reputation, Eton is a secondary school for boys between the ages of 13 and 18.

The school is located in Eton, Berkshire, across the River Thames from Windsor Castle. Its position is especially convenient for Prince George’s family because the school is roughly a 15-minute drive from Forest Lodge, the Wales family’s home in Windsor Great Park.

Prince George will board at Eton rather than commute each day. The school has 25 boarding houses, each accommodating approximately 55 pupils. Students receive individual rooms and follow a highly structured academic and extracurricular schedule.

A typical day begins around 7 a.m. with breakfast in the boarding house. Chapel follows, and classes can continue until 5 p.m. on several weekdays. Students also attend school for part of Saturday, depending on the day’s schedule.

The Cost of an Eton Education

Eton’s published fee for the 2025–26 academic year was £21,099.60 per term, or approximately £63,298.80 for three terms. Converted into U.S. currency, that equals roughly $84,900 annually.

Additional activities may cost extra. The source report estimates those expenses at approximately £1,500 per term.

The fees cover more than classroom instruction. Eton provides boarding, extensive grounds, specialist facilities and a wide range of sports, arts and academic programs. Its admissions process is also highly competitive.

Prince George’s Choice Was Not Inevitable

The decision to send Prince George to Eton reportedly followed consideration of other schools. Marlborough College, which Catherine attended, was among the institutions associated with the family’s options.

Prince George previously attended Lambrook, a coeducational private school near the family’s home. He studied there with his younger siblings, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

The move to Eton creates a different routine. Prince George will now live at school during term time, develop greater independence and join an institution with centuries of tradition behind it.

The choice also reflects a balance between royal history and modern family life. Eton is closely associated with Britain’s political and cultural establishment, but its location allows the Wales family to remain near him.

Famous Eton Alumni Include Actors and Writers

Eton’s former students include 20 British prime ministers, along with prominent figures from entertainment, literature and public life.

Actors who attended the school include Eddie Redmayne, Tom Hiddleston, Hugh Laurie, Damian Lewis and Dominic West. Writers George Orwell and Ian Fleming were also educated at Eton.

Redmayne’s time at the school overlapped with Prince William’s. The two played on the same rugby team, although the actor later joked that William often attracted extra attention from opponents because he was destined to become king.

Other former pupils have offered less glamorous accounts of boarding-school life. Some have described the friendships and confidence they gained there, while others have spoken candidly about the emotional difficulty of living away from home as a child.

That contrast is relevant to Prince George’s experience. Eton offers prestige and opportunity, but boarding school still requires an adjustment, even for a future monarch.

Prince William Has Fond Memories of Eton

Prince William has spoken positively about his time at Eton. One memory he has shared involved visiting his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, at Windsor Castle, where he enjoyed spending time with her and sharing meals.

He also once described his school years as a rare opportunity to move around without being treated entirely differently from other students. That experience gave him a limited sense of ordinary teenage life despite his position in the line of succession.

Prince George may encounter some of the same challenges. He will attend a historic institution connected to his family, but he will also face the attention that comes with being second in line to the throne.

For now, the new photographs mark a significant step: Prince George has begun life at the school his father attended, continuing a family connection while establishing an educational path of his own.