Prince George has arrived at Eton College for his first day, accompanied by his parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales. The 13-year-old second-in-line to the throne smiled as he walked up to the historic school building alongside his mother and father, where they were greeted by Eton headmaster Simon Henderson.
A Royal Welcome at the Historic School Yard
Dressed in smart "home clothes" - including a dark blazer, shirt, tie, chinos and brown suede shoes - the royals emerged from beneath Lupton's Tower, the 16th-century gatehouse clock tower, and walked across the cobbled school yard. Kate placed a protective arm on her son's back as she guided him.
The Waleses paused beside a bronze statue of Henry VI, the school's founder, to shake hands with Mr Henderson and Sir Nicholas Coleridge, the school's Provost. "Welcome," Mr Henderson told George. "Good luck. Enjoy it."
Weather Jokes and Settling In
William, in a matching outfit to his son, carried a closed umbrella while Kate, wearing a green dress, held one aloft against the drizzle. William joked about the weather, saying: "If it rains, it rains for ages," with Sir Nicholas remarking: "Typical."
After the welcome, the family was shown into the fourth form passage in the original school building, which is understood to house the world's oldest classroom. Like other families, William and Kate will help George settle into his new bedroom. Pupils from other years return to Eton when the school starts on Wednesday.
Education Away From Public View
After the brief photocall, it is William and Kate's fervent wish that George's education will take place away from public view. Signs have been posted around Windsor warning the public not to photograph pupils as they move around the campus between lessons.
Kensington Palace confirmed in June that George, a future King, would follow in the footsteps of his father and uncle Prince Harry by enrolling at the £63,000-a-year school. The announcement ended months of speculation, with Marlborough College and Oundle School also believed to have been contenders.
William attended Eton between 1995 and 2000, boarding at Manor House. George previously attended Lambrook School in Berkshire, also attended by his siblings Princess Charlotte, 11, and Prince Louis, eight.
Eton College is one of the most famous and prestigious schools in the world, known for instilling self-reliance and leadership. Admission is rigorous, with boys undergoing stringent tests, and parents pay an annual fee of £63,298. Its alumni include actors Tom Hiddleston, Hugh Laurie and Eddie Redmayne, former prime ministers Lord David Cameron and Boris Johnson, writers George Orwell and Ian Fleming, and adventurer Bear Grylls.
