Prince George begins studies at Eton College

LONDON – Prince George started at Eton College on Sept 8, as the future British king followed in the footsteps of his father, the heir to the throne Prince William, by attending the prestigious 600-year-old school.

The 13-year-old grandson of King Charles III was joined by his parents William and Kate, the Princess of Wales, for his arrival at his new school, with footage showing them smiling and looking relaxed as they were greeted by Eton’s headmaster, Simon Henderson.

Both George’s father and uncle Prince Harry attended Eton, one ​of Britain’s most elite schools, which is located close ​to the monarch’s Windsor Castle, west of London, and where his parents live with his two siblings Charlotte and Louis on the grounds of the castle.

Fees for the all-boys’ boarding school, which was founded by King Henry VI in 1440, ​are about £65,000 (S$111,300) a year.

George, the second in line to the throne, was previously at the private Lambrook School also near ​Windsor with his sister and younger brother.

William became the first ​royal to attend Eton, as Charles went to Gordonstoun, the same private school ‌on ⁠the north coast of Scotland that his father Prince Philip had attended, but found life there hard.

Conversely, William has said he enjoyed his time at the school and recently disclosed how he ​would often pop ​over to Windsor ⁠Castle at weekends to have tea with his grandmother, the late Queen Elizabeth.

Eton has ​long been the alma mater for many of ​the ⁠country’s elite, and has educated 20 British prime ministers, including Boris Johnson and David Cameron, as well as actors Hugh Laurie, Damian ⁠Lewis ​and Tom Hiddleston.

It retains many traditions, with students wearing tailcoats, waistcoats and gowns, and referring to teachers as “beaks”.

George’s first day at Eton also happened to coincide with the fourth anniversary of the death of his great-grandmother and the accession of Charles to the throne. REUTERS