Updated

Updated · Fox News · Sep 9

Prince George Starts Eton at 13, Following Prince William’s 31-Year-Old School Path

Updated

Updated · Fox News · Sep 9

Prince George Starts Eton at 13, Following Prince William’s 31-Year-Old School Path

Q: Why did Princess Catherine hesitate before agreeing to send Prince George to Britain's most elite boarding school?

Princess Catherine reportedly hesitated because she was not fully convinced Eton fit the more modern, less insular upbringing she wanted for Prince George, and because she was wary of sending him away to board at 13. Reporting around the decision said Catherine had reservations about Eton’s image as an old-fashioned “old boys’ club” and a “stuffy” upper-crust institution. She is also said to have favored Marlborough College, her own former school, in part because of its co-educational environment and because that model was closer to her own positive school experience with her siblings. There was also a personal dimension. Accounts from royal commentators and biographers said she expected to miss George deeply and was reluctant about him becoming a full boarder so young. The Waleses are known to be a close family, and George’s move means a visible change in that routine. In the end, the balance appears to have shifted toward Eton because of practical and institutional advantages. Prince William strongly supported the school, having had a positive experience there. Eton’s proximity to Windsor, its strong pastoral system, privacy protections, and its reputation for preparing pupils for public life were all cited as reasons it was seen as the best fit for a future working royal.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Sep 9

Prince George, 13, began classes at Eton College on Sept. 8, arriving with Prince William and Kate Middleton for a closely watched first day.
Royal commentators said George won his place through Eton’s normal admissions process, with the school chosen for continuity, stability and preparation for his future role as king.
Simon Henderson welcomed him on arrival, while aides and royal watchers expect the heavy first-day media attention to fade as he settles into academics, sport and boarding-school life.
The move extends a royal family pattern: William entered Eton 31 years ago, but experts say George is starting in a more stable family setting and a more controlled media environment.