Prince William's Ex-Classmate Reveals the Brutal Nickname He Had at Eton as George Prepares to Enroll
Amid growing updates about Eton, one of William's former classmates recently spilled the beans about the future King's little-known nickname.
Prince William broke a long-standing royal tradition when, unlike his predecessors, he decided to attend Gordonstoun's rival, the prestigious Eton College, instead of following the established path. It was previously unheard of, as members of the royal family had traditionally attended the same school for generations. However, after William chose to pave his own way, things began to change. Following his lead, even his brother, Prince Harry, enrolled at Eton, and now his eldest son, Prince George, will be attending the same institution.
As public interest in the prestigious Berkshire school grows, a former classmate of Prince William has spilled the beans on the future king's little-known nickname at Eton. In a conversation with The Telegraph, the alumnus recalled that William was treated just like any other student at the institution, adding, "We weren't in awe of William, and I don't think he would have wanted us to be."
The classmate elaborated that William carried no royal air and was extremely down-to-earth while at the same time being popular. "You have to remember that at Eton, he never stood out that much — there were boys from even richer families than his, and also boys from very old English aristocratic stock, who could trace their lineage back hundreds of years," added the source.
He further revealed that many of the boys at the school had a special nickname for William. Sharing the name, he said that the boys "would tease William for being an upstart German." The former classmate continued, "He was popular, but he was also just one of the crowd." William attended the institution between 1995 and 2000 and has described the period as one of the best phases of his life.
William’s time at Eton coincided with his parents’ messy, high-profile divorce, but his classmate clarified that peers never weaponized it or even talked about it. When Princess Diana later passed away, the school maintained that same quiet boundary. "We had all watched Diana's funeral on television, but we just kept quiet," the classmate shared. "It was all very British stiff upper lip and probably looks bad from a 2026 perspective, but I suspect it's what he'd have preferred at the time."
Now, Prince George is poised to follow in his father's footsteps by starting his own journey at Eton College. As the young prince prepares to enter the very institution that shaped William’s formative years, the historic school is once again stepping into the royal spotlight.
