Seems like the training season is already underway.
When the 13-year-old Prince George, second in line to the British throne, started at Eton on September 8, 2026, he wasn’t just following his father’s (Prince William) and uncle’s (Prince Harry) footsteps; he was restarting a tradition that skipped a generation, bringing back the Eton chapter after his grandfather, King Charles III, took a different path. Prince George’s first day at Eton College wasn’t just another kid nervously stepping into a new school; there’s a kind of weight behind every move he makes. On the very first day, George arrived with William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, and was welcomed by Eton headteacher Simon Henderson.
Prince George before Eton
Now, as for Eton, the Berkshire boarding school’s got a rich history: founded in 1440 by King Henry VI, right by Windsor Castle, it’s the kind of school that’s almost a rite of passage for the British elite. He went through Mrs Mynors Nursery, Wetherby School, then Ludgrove, before entering Eton in 1995. He studied geography, biology, and art history, finishing in 2000. Prince Harry went through the same sequence as William: Ludgrove, Eton, A-levels in art and geography, finishing up in 2003. He started at Hill House School in London in 1956, went to Cheam School in Berkshire, then followed his father, Prince Philip, by heading to Gordonstoun in Scotland in 1962. He spent some time at Timbertop in Australia, then came back to Gordonstoun before leaving in 1967, later heading to Cambridge. Charles stayed connected to Gordonstoun, becoming its patron in 2024. After Cheam School in England and a stint at Salem School in Germany with educational reformer Kurt Hahn, Philip joined Gordonstoun at age 13 in 1934.
Prime ministers, writers, scientists, and, of course, royals have walked its halls. George’s arrival feels like more than just the next school uniform; it’s a signal that the next era of royal schooling is back on familiar territory, but with a twist. However, before George put on Eton’s distinctive uniform, he followed a more modern path to royal schooling. Before stepping inside Eton College, George’s education looked pretty modern. He started at Westacre Montessori in Norfolk, then moved to Thomas’s Battersea in London. William brought him there on George’s first day, which is now immortalized on the royal website. When the family moved to Windsor, George joined his younger siblings, Charlotte and Louis, at Lambrook School, setting up a little family unit in the same classrooms. That’s now split, with George on his own at Eton, while Charlotte and Louis stay at Lambrook. If you look back, George’s Eton journey is mainly about following his father, William. William was the first direct royal heir to break from the Scottish Gordonstoun tradition and opt for Eton College. William choosing Eton was a big deal, which was a refreshing break from Prince Charles and Prince Philip’s path, a new direction for royals. By both brothers picking Eton, they created a new royal school tradition that George is now continuing. Shared Eton years probably shaped William and Harry in ways only siblings in a sprawling institution like Eton College can understand. However, King Charles III had a totally different school story. Charles was the first British royal to leave behind palace tutoring and join mainstream education, but Gordonstoun wasn’t always an easy ride for him. The school’s tough outdoors, service, and discipline left their mark; sometimes as fond memories, sometimes not. It was Prince Philip who started the Gordonstoun thread that was passed down to King Charles. He thrived, leading the school, captaining sports, embracing the intense outdoor routine. He wanted his sons (Charles, Andrew, Edward) to experience the same. That Gordonstoun legacy ran strong, even as Princes William and Harry later broke with the tradition.
She joined George at Thomas’s Battersea in 2019, then switched to Lambrook after the Windsor move. Princess Charlotte’s schooling follows a similar arc. Prince Louis, the youngest of three Wales siblings, follows along. For now, he and Charlotte stick together at Lambrook. But Eton’s boys-only policy means Charlotte will eventually chart a different course. That decision’s still down the road.
