On Tuesday, Prince George, second in line to the British throne, had his very first day at Eton College, the storied Berkshire boarding school that has shaped generations of Britain's future leaders, including his own father. Flanked by Prince William and Princess Kate, George walked up to the school gates looking every bit the part.
For years, royal watchers speculated over which school George would attend for his secondary education — Eton, his father's alma mater, or Marlborough College, where his mother Kate spent her own school days. The debate reportedly simmered for years within the family itself, weighing tradition against the co-ed appeal of Marlborough. In the end, Eton won, keeping George on a well-worn royal path. William began his own Eton journey in September 1995, at the very same age of 13.
George was greeted at the school by headteacher Simon Henderson, marking the official start of a new phase that will carry him through his teenage years. He leaves behind Lambrook School, the private school near Windsor he'd attended alongside younger siblings Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
Eton's traditions are practically their own language. Boys don the school's famous tailcoat uniform, attend daily chapel, and quickly learn a vocabulary that's evolved over the institution's roughly 600-year history. Prince Harry, in his memoir Spare, described his own culture shock at the school — classes weren't classes, they were divs, and teachers went by beaks. He also recalled the discomfort of knowing that problem students were regularly discussed behind closed doors during a mid-morning staff meeting called Chambers.
Eton is known for placing heavy emphasis on independence, leadership, and involvement in sports, societies, and the arts, giving him plenty of ways to make his mark beyond the classroom.
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