Prince George will be following in his father’s footsteps this September when he heads off to continue his education at Eton College.
And in a new piece for the Mail, royal author Robert Jobson has revealed how George’s time at the iconic institution will differ significantly than what was experienced by Prince William.
“The difference is everything,” he told the publication. “William walked into Eton carrying his parents’ marital war. George walks in from a settled home. Two parents, together, who built him a base and guard it fiercely. Confidence is not taught. It is absorbed.”
On William’s first experience at Eton, he continued: “A boy of thirteen came out with his mother and father to pose for pictures with his housemaster, Dr Andrew Gailey. He had signed the Entrance Book. Charles and Diana stood either side of him. They were separated by then. The divorce was a year away.
“Nobody standing there that morning knew what Gailey, a quiet Ulsterman, a historian, would become to that boy. A rock. Two years after that photocall, Diana was dead, and it was Gailey who took William under his wing, educationally and emotionally, and steadied him. The school became his sanctuary.”
Robert added: “Eton will be a challenge, but being close to home, in the shadow of Windsor Castle will help. As he steps out in his tailcoat, false collar, he will look a picture.
“But the environment will protect him like it did his father who thrived there. Then time. A great deal of it, let us hope, for George’s sake.”
Robert also revealed that George had a keen interest in history, with William even seeking his advice on historical events, and that the young prince was interested in both football and hockey, sports favoured by both of his parents.
George’s journey to Eton
It was confirmed last month that George would start attending Eton College, with Kensington Palace saying in a statement: “Kensington Palace can confirm that Prince George will attend Eton College from this September.”
Speaking on HELLO!’s A Right Royal Podcast before the decision was announced, The Good Schools’ Guide managing editor Melanie Sanderson revealed why the decision makes sense for the family.
© WireImageShe said: “You can see Eton College from Windsor Castle. So that would be lovely for George to be able to pop home. And the boys now are allowed a little bit of freedom to pop in and out of school at the weekends, to come home for Sunday lunch or tea on a Saturday evening after their sports fixtures.”
According to Eton’s website, the young royal will have an incredible 28 subjects to get stuck into, including “nine Modern and Classical Languages”. Among the subjects on offer are traditional ones like English literature, mathematics and the three sciences: biology, chemistry and physics.
The rest of the curriculum consists of Ancient History, Latin, Greek, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian, Spanish, Mandarin, Arabic, History (medieval, early modern or modern), History of Art, Geography, Design, Art, Music, Theology, Theatre Studies, Economics, Government and Politics, Music Technology and Computer Science.
However, studying at Eton isn’t just about academic prowess, as students are also taught to value the importance of education. Their website explains that sending a student to university without “a love of learning” leaves them “woefully underprepared”. It adds: “It is crucial that boys enjoy their studies, thrive and have fun, rather than leave feeling burnt out and disengaged.”
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