Inside Prince William's Eton schooldays – as George looks set to join

2023-07-02

Inside Prince William’s schooldays at Eton that ‘broke royal tradition’ – from ‘Pop’ club to weekly tea with his grandmother… as son George looks set to follow in his footsteps at prestigious Windsor school

Prince George and his parents were spotted on campus of the boarding school
The Prince of Wales, who recently turned 41, enrolled at Eton College in 1995
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When Prince George was recently spotted on the campus of Britain’s most prestigious private school, royal fans were quickly wondering if he might be about to follow in his father’s footsteps.

Although the nine-year-old currently attends Berkshire’s Lambrook prep school, it is thought he will eventually transfer to Eton, where Prince William spent five happy years from the age of 13.

Enrolling in 1995, William was the first senior member of the Royal Family to attend the historic school, and was joined by his brother Prince Harry in 1998.

He went on to captain the swimming team and his house football squad and also took up water polo, as well as being a dab hand in the kitchen – as photos of him making paella during a cooking class proved.

The decision to send William and Harry to Eton ran against recent royal tradition, which had seen both their father King Charles, grandfather Prince Philip and uncles Prince Edward and Prince Andrew attend Gordonstoun in Scotland.

However, members of the Spencer family, including the late Princess Diana’s father and brother, went to Eton.

Prince William, then aged 13, is seen on his first day at Eton on September 7, 1995

William wearing a multi-coloured vest, bowtie and sponge bag trousers as one of the school’s 21 elected prefects

Prince William pictured playing the Eton Field Game, a cross between football and rugby

For his first day of school on September 6, 1995, Prince William was accompanied by his parents and younger brother for a photo call as they were shown around by Andrew Gailey, Prince William’s housemaster.

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Another snapshot from the same day showed William signing a book before he began his classes – a tradition that all students follow – with Charles and Diana proudly looking over his shoulder.

Photos from the young royal’s big day showed Prince Harry walking hand-in-hand with Princess Diana as they dropped William off to his new lodgings – where Harry would follow his older brother three years later.

William had come from Ludgrove School, also in Berkshire. Whilst there, he was famously hit on the forehead by a golf club being wielded by a fellow pupil.

The heir to the throne needed treatment for a fractured skull and was operated on at Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Fortunately, William endured no similar accidents while at Eton, where he was enrolled in the prestigious Manor House, which counts the Duke of Wellington among its alumni.

For his first day of classes, William happily smiled for the cameras in his traditional Eton uniform, which consisted of a tailcoat, waistcoat, and pin-striped trousers.

These would be the only photographs of the young prince during his first year at Eton, so as to give him as much privacy as possible during his studies.

The 13-year-old Prince began Eton just three years after Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s divorce, and according to a royal expert, the experiences left him ’emotional’, which led to the late Queen Elizabeth stepping in to support her grandson.

Prince William followed Eton tradition by signing a book before starting at the school, as his parents and brother looked on

The then Prince and Princess of Wales and a young Prince Harry posed for pictures with Prince William on his first day at Eton on September 6, 1995

While William did not follow in his father’s footsteps, having attended Gordonstoun in Scotland, the Prince of Wales appeared proud on his eldest son’s first day of school

Photos from the young royal’s big day showed Prince Harry walking with Princess Diana as they dropped William off at his new lodgings

Dr Andrew Gailey, William’s House Master, was also photographed with the royals on this day

For his first day of classes, William happily smiled for the cameras in his traditional Eton uniform the following day

The Daily Mail’s report on the day that Prince William started at Eton in September 1995

William posed with his brother Harry and parents King Charles and Princess Diana on his first day

The Daily Mail’s report on who else was in William’s year at Eton when he started in 1995

William enrolled in the prestigious Manor House, which counts the Duke of Wellington among its alumni

Robert Lacey, the author of ‘Battle of Brothers’, claimed the Queen ‘intervened’ with William during Diana and Charles’ divorce and the years following.

Speaking to People magazine, Mr Lacey explained how the young royal would often have lunches with the Queen and would visit on the weekends when other pupils returned home from school.

During his visits to the nearby Windsor Castle, it was reported that William and his grandmother discussed state boxes and the constitutional duties he would carry out as King.

The author added how the regular meetings between William and the Queen were Prince Philip’s idea.

During his senior year at Eton, Prince William was one of 21 elected members of a prestigious prefect society, with members known as ‘Pop’.

The young royal was also incredibly active, a trait that he has kept up as a working royal.

As well as his roles leading the swimming and football teams, he also reportedly took up water polo.

In 1999, both William and Prince Harry took part in the traditional Eton boys Tea Party at the Guards Polo Club in Windsor Great Park.

While Prince Harry sat with Prince Charles, William remained upstairs with his friends for the Eton Boys’ Tea Party at the Guards Polo Club, Windsor on June 19, 1999

Byran Organ, Lady Sarah Chatto, Lady Vestey, Mrs Bartholomew and Gerald Ward, Prince Harry, Prince Charles and Prince William, during the confirmation of Prince Harry at Eton at the school chapel in March 2000

There they had tea with King Charles and the late Queen and Prince Philip. Although Harry was seen sitting with them, William is reported to have remained with his friends.

Although William was not photographed much during his time at the school, on his 18th birthday fans were treated to pictures of the royal inside his student home.

Pictures showed William looking at a computer at his personal desk, while others featured the royal making a chicken paella for a cooking class in the school’s communal kitchen.

Prince William looked focused as he was pictured using computer in his private room at Eton

William wore a jacket over a Union Jack vest emblazoned with the words ‘Groovy Baby,’ at Eton to commemorate his 18th birthday in June 2000

The young Prince was hard at work as he cooked a chicken paella for cooking class at Eton

Another of the photos showed the 18-year-old posing for a portrait on his birthday, wearing a Union Jack vest with the words ‘Groovy Baby’ across the bottom.

William finished his time at Eton with three A Levels, an A in Geography, a B in History of Art and a C in Biology.

He then enjoyed a gap year, during which he took part in British Army training exercises in Belize and visited Africa.

In 2001, William enrolled at the University of St Andrews in Scotland where he studied a course in Art History, but later changed his chosen subject to Geography.

It was at St Andrews where he met his wife the Princess of Wales, who was studying Art History.

Currently, Eton College lists its tuition fees as £15,432 per half – with ‘half’ meaning ‘term’, meaning it costs wealthy parents more than £46,000 a year to send their child there.

Eton’s political alumni include David Cameron, Boris Johnson and George Osborne.

William finished his time at Eton with three A Levels, an A in Geography, a B in History of Art and a C in Biology

Before attending Eton, William went to Ludgrove School. In 1991, he was hit on the head by a golf club being wielded by a fellow student. He needed surgery for a fractured skull. Above: William being taken home with his mother Princess Diana after the accident

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