Arrival in Berkshire

Prince George arrived at Eton College in Berkshire on Tuesday, 8 September 2026, to start his secondary education as a boarding pupil. The 13-year-old, second in line to the British throne, walked through the school courtyard accompanied by his parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales, both aged 44. George wore a suit, tie, and brown shoes in the rain, while Kate carried an umbrella wearing a dark green Emilia Wickstead dress. Eton headteacher Simon Henderson and the institution's provost, Sir Nicholas Coleridge, greeted the family before showing them inside the main building.

Henderson welcomed the new pupil before discussing the rainy conditions with the family:

“Welcome, good luck, have fun.”

School traditions and daily life

Eton College, an all-boys boarding institution founded in 1440 by King Henry VI, educates pupils aged 13 to 18 and charges around £65,000 annually. George passed the standard entrance examination required for all applicants before securing his place for the next five years. He will live in one of 25 boarding houses under the care of a house master and a dame, residing in a private room without access to smartphones during term time. Although George arrived in a standard suit, pupils wear a distinctive uniform consisting of a black tailcoat, waistcoat, pinstripe trousers, and a shirt with a detachable collar, while teachers are referred to as beaks. His parents assisted him in moving into his room along the fourth-year corridor in the original school building, which houses what is considered the oldest active classroom.

Royal family educational path

George previously attended the co-educational Lambrook School in Berkshire from 2022 alongside his younger sister Princess Charlotte and younger brother Prince Louis. His enrolment at Eton follows the educational path of Prince William, who studied there from 1995 to 2000, and Prince Harry, who attended from 1998 to 2003. Earlier royal generations, including King Charles III and Prince Philip, attended Gordonstoun on the north coast of Scotland. William previously described his experience at the Berkshire school:

“I really enjoyed being able to walk around Eton as just another pupil.”

Windsor proximity and institutional background

The start of term coincided with the fourth anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's death and King Charles III's accession to the throne, which was commemorated with gun salutes in Hyde Park in London. Eton College is situated approximately five kilometres from the family home at Forest Lodge on the Windsor Castle estate, separated from the royal grounds by the River Thames. The school has educated 20 British prime ministers, including David Cameron and Boris Johnson, author George Orwell, and actors Hugh Laurie, Eddie Redmayne, Tom Hiddleston, and Damian Lewis. On Wednesday, Prince William is scheduled to attend the funeral of King Harald V in Norway, a commitment that may coincide with Charlotte and Louis returning to Lambrook School.