Our Royal Experts Reveal the Key Difference Between Prince George and Prince William at Eton
EXCLUSIVE ANALYSIS: Prince George followed in the footsteps of his father, Prince William and uncle, Prince Harry as he started his tenure at Eton College yesterday
PRINCE George looked every bit a grown-up as he entered Eton College on his first day yesterday, accompanied by his parents, Prince William and Kate Middleton.
The Prince and Princess of Wales have prioritised creating a close family environment for their son, George, the future king, raising him away from the pressures associated with the Crown. This wasn't exactly the scene for William when he joined the prestigious institution in 1995. The then-young prince was silently coping with the public separation of his parents, the late Princess Diana and King Charles.
Royal Observer Associate Editor Joshua Rom and royal expert Lydia Alty explored how the tumultuous relationship of their parents shaped the childhood of William and Prince Harry — and how Prince George's more stable upbringing may give him an edge in carrying the royal family's legacy forward.
Watch the full conversation here!
During the interview, Rom and Alty discussed how William and Harry's childhoods differed from those of their children — noting that George, in particular, benefits from a stable family unit. Alty added that during William's own childhood, tabloids were rife with speculation about his parents' marriage.
"Yes, he does. He comes from a very different unit to say Prince William did when he started Eton. He came from, you know, there was lots in the papers at the time when Prince William joined Eton about the divorce of his parents. And, you know, there was a lot of scrutiny about it as well. And obviously his days at Eton were very private, but at the start of Eton as well, there was a lot of press outside capturing his first day, watching him go to his first classes," Alty stated.
However, George's first day seemed very relaxed, with greater attention to privacy. Reports indicate that Eton has implemented strict rules prohibiting photography before the young prince's arrival, reflecting the protective measures William and Kate have taken for their son in the modern age, when privacy can be easily compromised by smart devices.
Alty emphasized this, saying, "So this is very different because Prince George is coming from an era where there's more privacy around schooling, more privacy around the royal family." She further highlighted that Prince George is transitioning into boarding school from a loving home, having had a gradual introduction to boarding rather than a sudden adjustment. This preparation is expected to benefit him in the long term, as he has already learned the necessary rules and practices of boarding life.
She also noted that it is important for students entering Eton from a known school to already have experience with the boarding environment, as it significantly differs from their previous educational settings. In George's case, he may have already understood the rules from his father, which facilitated his adjustment.
"They have a lot of students there; they're known to Eton. So it's very important for him to come to the school from a school where they actually do teach them already about the boarding experience that they'll have experienced in their senior school. So yeah, it's very different," she said.
