As an Old Etonian who walked those halls some years before William and Harry, I have a pretty clear idea of what’s in store for Prince George – and his upcoming arrival is a telling choice by his father.
By all accounts – and we know a fair bit thanks to Prince Harry’s candid admissions in Spare – while Harry found his time at Eton somewhat difficult, William truly flourished there.
It’s no surprise, then, that William is anticipating a similarly positive experience for George when he starts at Eton College this September. William built an incredible group of lifelong friends and, crucially, was able to experience as much normality as someone in his position possibly could.
Looking back at my time at Eton, my feelings have definitely evolved. I started there in 1987 and was expelled three years later in 1990 – for having girls in my room, if you can believe it! At the time, I left feeling incredibly bitter and angry, with zero pride in being an Old Etonian.
But as the years have gone by, my perspective has completely shifted. I’ve come to realise the immense effort my parents put into getting me there, securing a bursary, and rallying family members together just to help cover my fees.
Back then, Eton was unforgiving. It wasn’t just about academic prowess; the pressure was immense. Every year after exams, they’d tally the marks for the entire year group, and we’d all gather to hear the results read out in public.
The two boys at the very bottom of the list were declared a GTF – which stood for ‘General Total Failure,’ – in front of the whole school. If you received a GTF two or three times, you were asked to leave. While that surely no longer goes on, Eton has always taken academic standards ruthlessly seriously.
To be completely honest, it always suited academic kids best – which is why I think Harry struggled so much during his time there.
© WireImageWhat I find fascinating about George going to Eton is what it reveals about his strengths. It tells you he must be a bright, academically grounded child, because there is simply no way Catherine would send him there otherwise.
Through her work founding the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, she has spent years examining how critical a child’s early environment is. She understands developmental needs deeply, so if Eton is the choice, it’s because George is genuinely built to thrive in that high-pressure environment.
I certainly don’t think it’s a given that Prince Louis will follow in those same footsteps. From what we’ve seen of his personality – mucking around, pulling faces, and having a laugh at Trooping the Colour – he seems to have a wonderfully quirky, independent streak.
Eton might not be the right fit for a boy like him, and William and Catherine are far too modern as parents to force a square peg into a round hole just for tradition’s sake.
© Corbis via Getty ImagesAs for whether it will prepare George to be King, it will certainly do a better job than sitting with a governess in a drafty, empty room at Buckingham Palace – which was the royal standard until Prince Charles. It’s also a far cry from those isolated Scottish boarding schools that were completely cut off from the real world.
What makes Eton unique is that its buildings are dotted right throughout the town. You’re constantly wandering the streets alongside tourists and locals. You can pop into the shops on the High Street for a snack, browse the stationery store, or cross the bridge into Windsor on a Wednesday afternoon to grab a McDonald’s burger. It gives a young royal a tangible connection to ordinary, everyday life.
But I think the most vital thing Eton provides is an intensely loyal group of friends – and for someone in George’s position, that is everything. William still relies on the close circle of mates he made during his school days, and it’s easy to see why.
Being the King of England is fundamentally a lonely job. How do you ever really know who to trust, or who is just sucking up to you for your status? If you met someone at thirteen and went through five years of school together, you know their friendship is genuine.
© WireImageWould I have wanted to send my own boys there? Honestly, I’d feel slightly conflicted given what I hear from friends today about just how relentlessly academic it has become. I understand why it’s gone down that path, but I think it’s a real shame.
Part of Eton’s charm in my day was the sheer breadth of personalities – the less than smart kids, the geniuses, the sports stars, the artists, and the theater crowd, all making use of those phenomenal facilities.
Look, is it unbelievably privileged? Yes. Is it remotely typical of what anyone else gets from their schooling? Of course not. But realistically, what are the options for Prince George? It’s a unique institution for a unique life – and I think he’ll have a fabulous time.
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