Prince George has officially begun one of the most significant chapters of his young life, stepping into the historic world of Eton College at the age of 13.

The future King was pictured in his new Eton uniform for the first time on Tuesday, September 8, as he arrived at the prestigious Windsor school with his parents, Prince William and Princess Kate. Smiling for the cameras, George appeared confident as he prepared to begin the next five years at the school his father also attended.

The milestone carries particular significance for William, who started at Eton 31 years ago.

Prince George steps into his new school era

The first official photograph, released by Kensington Palace, shows George beaming in Eton’s distinctive traditional uniform. His formal school attire includes a tilcoat, winged collar and white tie — a look that immediately marked his transition from prep school pupil to one of Britain’s most famous schoolboys.

George’s first day came after he completed his education at Lambrook School in Berkshire, where he studied alongside his younger siblings, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

His arrival at Eton was made more memorable by the weather. Heavy rain fell as the Prince and Princess of Wales accompanied their eldest son into the school’s historic grounds.

Princess Kate, dressed in a bottle-green Emilia Wickstead dress and black heels, carried an umbrella as she walked with George beneath the famous archway. Prince William also carried a folded umbrella, while George stood between his parents as they made their way across School Yard.

The historic quadrangle is overlooked by Lupton’s Tower, while a statue of King Henry VI stands at its centre. Henry VI founded Eton in 1440.

George was introduced to headmaster Simon Henderson and provost Sir Nicholas Coleridge before entering the school. The group spoke briefly, with Simon heard welcoming George and wishing him luck.

As they reached the doorway leading into one of the school’s oldest areas, Kate was seen placing a reassuring hand on her son’s back.

A milestone filled with memories for Prince William

George’s first day at Eton also coincided with the fourth anniversary of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, who died at Balmoral Castle in 2022.

For William, the date inevitably carries personal memories of his own grandparents, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, who lived nearby at Windsor Castle.

HELLO!’s Royal Editor Emily Nash noted that the occasion was likely to evoke memories for William of visiting his grandparents across the Thames while he was a pupil at Eton.

The future King’s first day also bears a striking resemblance to his father’s arrival at the school in September 1995.

Unlike George’s carefully limited media appearance, William’s first day was documented extensively. He was photographed with his parents, the then Prince and Princess of Wales, Charles and Diana, as well as his younger brother Harry, while signing the school register on September 6, 1995.

William wore a jacket and tie for the occasion.

Afterward, an arrangement was reached between the Royal Family and the media: William would be given privacy while attending Eton in exchange for regular updates about his life.

More than three decades later, George’s parents appear keen to establish a similar balance. After sharing a glimpse of this important moment, William and Kate hope their son will be allowed to settle into school life without unnecessary intrusion.

Emily Nash observed that Eton had provided William with a sense of refuge during some difficult periods of his childhood, and that he remains confident it can offer George a supportive and nurturing environment.

Following in his father’s footsteps

William spent his years at Eton living at Manor House, a boarding house that has been used for that purpose since at least 1723.

He left the school in 2000 after completing his A-levels, earning an A in Geography, a B in History of Art and a C in Biology. He subsequently enrolled at the University of St Andrews, where he later met his future wife, Kate.

George is now beginning what is expected to be a five-year journey at the same institution.

Eton is a full boarding school, meaning there are no day or weekly pupils. Each student has his own room in one of the school’s 25 boarding houses.

Despite that structure, George will remain relatively close to his family. William and Kate live with their children at Forest Lodge in Windsor, an eight-bedroom home.

The school is also close enough to Windsor Castle that, according to Good Schools Guide managing editor Melanie Sanderson, George can see the castle from Eton. She previously explained to HELLO! that pupils now have some freedom at weekends to return home, including for Sunday lunch or Saturday evening tea after sporting fixtures.

What life at Eton will look like for George

Eton is renowned for its academic standards, traditions and emphasis on independence and leadership.

The school offers 28 subjects, including nine modern and classical languages. Admission is highly competitive, with prospective pupils required to undergo stringent testing.

The annual fee is £63,298.

Over the years, Eton has educated numerous prominent figures, including actors Tom Hiddleston, Hugh Laurie and Eddie Redmayne, former Prime Minister David Cameron, writers George Orwell and Ian Fleming, and adventurer Bear Grylls.

For George, however, his time at Eton will be about far more than the school’s distinguished history. It will be an important period of personal growth as he prepares for a future that will eventually place him at the centre of the British monarchy.

George’s journey to Eton

Before arriving at Eton, George attended Lambrook School in Berkshire with Charlotte and Louis.

His early education began at Westacre Montessori School in Norfolk, followed by St Thomas’s Battersea, which he joined in 2017.

His move to Eton was officially confirmed by Kensington Palace in June.

At the time, the palace said: “Kensington Palace can confirm that Prince George will attend Eton College from this September.”

That announcement ended months of speculation surrounding where the future King would continue his education.

Now, the wait is over. George has taken his first steps into the school that once shaped his father — beginning a new chapter under the watchful eyes of both his family and the public.

A royal tradition of very different school experiences

George’s choice of school also stands out when compared with other members of the Royal Family.

King Charles attended Gordonstoun in the Scottish Highlands, following in the footsteps of his father, the late Duke of Edinburgh. Charles later described his experience there to biographer Jonathan Dimbleby as “a prison sentence”, although he also acknowledged that the school helped instil self-discipline and a sense of responsibility.

Charles’s younger brothers, Prince Edward and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, also attended Gordonstoun. Princess Anne, meanwhile, went to Benenden School, leaving with six GCE O-levels and three A-levels.

Zara Tindall and Peter Phillips also attended Gordonstoun.

Eton has its own long-standing royal connections. Princess Diana’s father and brother both attended the school, while Princess Eugenie was a boarder at Marlborough College and Princess Beatrice attended St George’s.

Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret had a very different educational experience, receiving their schooling at home from Marion Crawford.

For George, the significance of Eton lies not only in its royal and historic connections, but in the fact that he is now following directly in the footsteps of his father.

At 13, the future King has officially begun the next stage of his education — and his first photographs from Eton offer a rare glimpse of the young royal at the beginning of what could become one of the most consequential journeys of his life.