Prince Harry has spoken candidly about his time at Eton and the difficult dynamic he faced with his older brother, Prince William.
The Duke of Sussex, 40, has often described his school years as challenging. In contrast, Prince William, 42, reportedly thrived during his time at the prestigious boarding school.
Prince Harry in action for Eton against Marlborough during The National Schools Polo Tournament
In a 2023 interview with Anderson Cooper on 60 Minutes, Harry recalled a moment that left a lasting impression.
When he first arrived at Eton, he was told by William to act as if they didn’t know each other. Harry said: “At the time, it hurt.”
He added: “I couldn’t make sense of it. I was like, ‘What do you mean? We’re now at the same school.’”
William’s decision to distance himself was described by Harry as something he took “personally”. However, he acknowledged that such behaviour is often typical of older siblings trying to establish independence.
Harry has admitted he never felt entirely comfortable at Eton. In his memoir Spare, he explained how he found it hard to settle into one group.
The royal wrote: “Sport, I decided, would be my thing at Eton.” He described the social structure among sporty students, with ‘dry bobs’ playing land-based sports like rugby and football, while ‘wet bobs’ focused on rowing or swimming.
Harry continued: “I was a dry who occasionally got wet. I played every dry sport, though rugby captured my heart.”
Prince Harry taking part at Eton College in the Wall Games
Harry found some escape in sport. Rugby became an outlet for frustration and emotional release.
“Rugby let me indulge my rage,” he wrote. “I simply didn’t feel pain the way other boys did, which made me scary on a pitch.”
While sport helped, it didn’t solve the broader issue of feeling like an outsider. The prince’s reflections suggest that Eton was a place where he often felt disconnected.
Unlike Harry, William reportedly enjoyed his time at Eton. The Prince of Wales is even said to be considering sending Prince George, now 11, to the school.
William and Princess Kate, both 42, were seen visiting the school with George in 2023, fuelling speculation he may follow in his father’s footsteps.
If George does attend Eton, it will continue a tradition within the royal family, though his experience may be very different from Harry’s.
Harry’s recollection of his school years adds to the growing picture of a complex relationship between the brothers.
Their bond, once perceived as close, has become increasingly strained in recent years—especially following Harry and Meghan’s move to the US and the publication of Spare.
Harry’s memories of Eton may help explain some of that distance. Feeling rejected by William at such a formative time seems to have left a deep emotional impact.
Prince Harry, the younger son of the Prince of Wales, sits in his room at Eton College
Eton has long been associated with the royal family and British aristocracy. Founded in 1440, it has educated generations of royals, politicians, and public figures.
Yet Harry’s story offers a reminder that even the most elite institutions are not immune to personal struggles and emotional complexities.
His candidness about his school experience continues to shape public understanding of the pressures faced by younger royals growing up in the public eye.
Prince Harry and Meghan now reside in California with their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
Prince William and Princess Kate continue to carry out royal duties on behalf of the Crown, with their family based in Windsor.
The status of Harry’s legal claims
Challenge against the Home Office over UK security arrangements
In 2024, a High Court judge dismissed Harry’s claim against the Home Office over security arrangements for himself and his family when they are in the UK.
The Duke challenged a February 2020 decision of the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec), which falls under the remit of the department, after being told he would no longer be given the “same degree” of personal protective security when visiting.
Harry’s lawyers said he was “singled out” and treated “less favourably” in the decision, arguing a failure to carry out a risk analysis and fully consider the impact of a “successful attack” on him meant the approach to his protection was “unlawful and unfair”.
The Government argued Ravec was entitled to conclude the Duke’s protection should be “bespoke” and considered on a “case-by-case” basis.
Retired High Court judge Sir Peter Lane ruled that Ravec’s approach was not irrational nor procedurally unfair, claiming Harry’s lawyers had taken “an inappropriate, formalist interpretation of the Ravec process”.
Harry was given permission to challenge Sir Peter’s ruling in June last year, but this after a two-day hearing in April 2025, his appeal was dismissed in May 2025.
Unlawful information-gathering allegations against Associated Newspapers
Harry is one of seven high-profile people, including Sir Elton John and Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon, bringing legal action against the publisher of the Daily Mail over allegations it carried out or commissioned unlawful information gathering.
The firmly denied allegations against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) include the hiring of private investigators to place listening devices inside cars; the “blagging” of private records; and the accessing and recording of private phone conversations.
At a preliminary hearing, the publisher asked a judge to rule in its favour without a trial – arguing the legal challenges against it were brought “far too late”.
The Duke made a surprise appearance at the Royal Courts of Justice in London for the proceedings in March 2023, where his lawyers argued that those bringing legal action were “thrown off the scent” and not aware of being targeted, having believed “categorical denials” from ANL over any involvement in unlawful activity.
Mr Justice Nicklin ruled in November 2023 that the publisher had failed to deliver a “knockout blow” to the early-stage legal challenges, allowing them to continue.
The full trial could be held in early 2026.
Settlement with News Group Newspapers
Harry alleged he was targeted by journalists and private investigators working for News Group Newspapers (NGN), which publishes The Sun and published the now-defunct News Of The World.
Shortly before an up-to-10-week trial was due to begin earlier this year, the Duke and NGN reached an agreement including a “full and unequivocal apology” and “substantial” damages, announced on 22 January.
NGN apologised to Harry for intrusion between 1996 and 2011, including “incidents of unlawful activities” by private investigators working for The Sun.
The publisher also apologised to the Duke for phone hacking, surveillance and misuse of private information by journalists and private investigators at the News of the World, which closed in 2011.
“We acknowledge and apologise for the distress caused to the duke, and the damage inflicted on relationships, friendships and family, and have agreed to pay him substantial damages,” the NGN statement said.
The publisher also apologised for the impact of the “serious intrusion” into the private life of Harry’s late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales.
An NGN spokesperson previously said its apology to Harry covered “incidents of unlawful activities carried out by private investigators working for The Sun, not by journalists, during the period 1996-2011″.
They added: “There are strong controls and processes in place at all our titles today to ensure this cannot happen now. There was no voicemail interception on The Sun.”
Lord Tom Watson, former Labour deputy leader, who was also taking legal action against the publisher, settled his claim as well.
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