Kensington Palace confirmed on Tuesday that Prince George, the 12-year-old grandson of King Charles III and second in line to the throne, will begin his studies at Eton College this September. The announcement ends months of speculation about the young prince’s secondary education and firmly re-establishes a royal tradition. George, who turns 13 in July, will follow in the footsteps of his father, Prince William, and his uncle, Prince Harry, both Eton alumni. William’s enrolment in 1995 marked a departure from the previous practice of sending senior royals to Gordonstoun in Scotland, and the choice of Eton for his son underscores the school’s enduring status within the family. Located across the River Thames from Windsor Castle and a mere 15-minute drive from the Wales family’s Adelaide Cottage home, the institution offers both prestige and proximity.

Founded in 1440 by King Henry VI, Eton College has for nearly six centuries been synonymous with the British establishment. The all-boys boarding school has educated 20 prime ministers, including David Cameron and Boris Johnson, along with generations of aristocrats, writers, and scientists. Its annual fee of £63,000—now subject to a recently introduced 20 per cent VAT on private school fees—places it among the world’s most expensive educational institutions. Viewed from Brasília, the cost was reported as exceeding 300,000 Brazilian reais; Swiss coverage noted a figure of more than 67,000 francs; and Australian outlets put the sum at A$119,000. Each year, Eton admits roughly 270 boys aged 13 to 18, all of whom board in houses scattered around the small Berkshire town.

The decision reflects a careful calibration by the Prince and Princess of Wales. George currently attends Lambrook School alongside his siblings, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, but the move to a single-sex senior school will separate him from his sister, whose own future school choice remains unannounced. Analysts in London note that William and Kate have long sought to balance a modern, grounded upbringing with the realities of royal life. Eton’s proximity allows George to remain close to his family, while its formidable network and academic rigour prepare him for a life of public duty. The palace statement, brief and matter-of-fact, gave no indication of any internal debate, though the timing coincides with a national conversation about private education and the new VAT levy, a cost the royal household is well placed to absorb.

For a boy destined to be king, the Eton years will be more than a rite of passage. The school’s ethos of service and leadership aligns with a monarchy that increasingly emphasises duty over pageantry. Global attention to George’s enrolment—from Moscow to Jakarta—reveals the enduring fascination with the choreography of an heir’s upbringing. As he enters an institution that has shaped prime ministers and princes alike, the world will watch for early glimpses of the monarch he may one day become.