Prince George looked confident and self-assured as arrived at the prestigious boarding school.
Tammy Hughes
Prince George has started his secondary education, arriving at Eton flanked by his proud parents the Prince and Princess of Wales.
The elite school, located west of London in Berkshire, was founded by George’s ancestor King Henry VI in 1440 and is steeped in history.
In a poignant moment of historical continuity, George breezed past a bronze statue of Henry, which stands in the middle of the school’s quadrangle to shake hands with the school’s headmaster Simon Henderson.
Mr Henderson shook hands with the future king and said: “Welcome, good luck, enjoy it”.
George was dressed in a tie and blazer described as “home clothes” in contrast to his Eton uniform known as “school dress”, a black tailcoat, a black waistcoat, stiff white collars, and black pinstriped trousers.
The school is often likened to Hogwarts, JK Rowling’s imagined school of witchcraft and wizardry, and has its own slang, pub (where pupils over the age of 16 can order two pints of beer or cider three times a week), rowing lake, and shop.
All pupils at the £63,000-a -year school ($118,000) get their own room and are moved to a bigger room every year.
Food is reportedly excellent but those clever enough to be named Eton’s King’s Scholars (the most academically able pupils) are served dishes such as confit of duck and swordfish risotto.
The young prince will board during his time at the school despite it being just a few kilometres away from the family home in Windsor.
George is following in the footsteps of his father and uncle Prince Harry who both attended the exclusive school.
Eton has also famously educated 20 past prime ministers, including Boris Johnson and David Cameron, as well as a roll call of other well-known people, from actor Tom Hiddleston to James Bond creator Ian Fleming.
The school welcomes nearly 1350 pupils each year, according to its website.
- With AFP
