William and Kate ‘will be concerned’ about one thing as George starts at Eton
Prince George is to attend Eton College, the famous boarding school in Berkshire, in September, as his father, William, the Prince of Wales, did. The institution educates around 1,345 boys aged between 12 and 19, and was founded was founded 586 years ago in 1440 by Henry VI as Kynge's College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore. George's uncle, Prince Harry, David Cameron and Boris Johnson also went to Eton, as well as actors Eddie Redmayne, Tom Hiddleston and Hugh Laurie. The late Queen Elizabeth II received private, twice-weekly lessons in constitutional history and law from Henry Marten, who was the Vice-Provost, later Provost, of Eton.
The college's yearly fees total more than £63,000, with Eton renowned for its academic excellence, with dozens of pupils taking up spots at Oxford and Cambridge every year. In 2025, almost all pupils scored grades 7-9 in their GCSEs, while more than three-quarters of the college’s A-Level cohort secured an A or A*. Pupils can choose from up to 28 subjects, including nine modern and classical languages, such as Latin and Ancient Greek.
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Outside of the classroom, the school boasts 350 acres of playing fields and offers 25 different sports, including Eton fives, a handball game invented in the late 19th century.
Eton is famous for its jargon, with a glossary available on its website. A "beak", for example, is an Eton Master, or a teacher, and a "div" is a lesson.
A "chore". meanwhile, is a sanction, like weeding a garden. A slack bob is defined as "either a boy who does not play sport or a boy who is neither a Dry Bob nor a Wet Bob; i.e. they participate in neither cricket nor rowing".
Speaking to People, Melanie Sanderson, the managing editor of The Good Schools Guide, said Eton's teminology is "from a bygone era", but given that William has been through the system, it's "probably been part of his vernacular for most of his life".
She added: "As parents, you do talk about your school days, and your kids can relate to that. I'm confident that he will be very well prepared."
Like any parents, Ms Sanderson suggested, Catherine and William "will be concerned that he's going to find his place, find the right kind of friends and thrive".
"30 years ago, boys were not encouraged to talk about their feelings and boarding schools were much harder places to be," she added.
"Now there is such an emphasis on pastoral care and mental health."
A Kensington Palace spokesperson said on June 16: “Kensington Palace can confirm that Prince George will attend Eton College from this September.”
The prince is currently studying at Lambrook School, the private prep school in Berkshire, where he boards.
It is also attended by his siblings Princess Charlotte, 11, and eight-year-old Prince Louis.