Prince George officially enrols at Eton College in Windsor today, beginning a five-year stint at the prestigious boarding school, which is also the alma mater of his father, the Prince of Wales.
The 13-year-old will face a very different experience from what he is used to, having to learn how to wear his formal uniform - a black tailcoat, waistcoat and pinstripe trousers, with a stiff white collar - and all of the lingo.
The school has so many unique names and phrases that there is an 'Eton Glossary' on its website, which explains terms such as 'pop' (senior prefects), 'dry bobs' (cricketers) and 'beaks' (the term for an Eton Master or teacher).
Arrival and first-day traditions
The second-in-line to the throne will arrive alongside his parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales, and the special moment is expected to be captured officially and shared with the public in the afternoon.
He'll write in the same historic school entrance book as his father, which officially records each pupil's enrollment. William was pictured signing the book alongside his parents, Prince Charles and Princess Diana, and his younger brother, Harry. Following his mother's death a year earlier, Harry was accompanied only by his father at the book signing.
George will likely be feeling nervous and excited about his new chapter as he meets his new housemates who are set to become lifelong friends (much of William's inner circle were pals he met at Eton).
Adjusting to boarding life
While he did part-time boarding at Lambrook School, the youngster hasn't experienced staying away from home for long periods of time, as he will at Eton, where he will live full-time during term time.
Former Buckingham Palace press secretary Dickie Arbiter explained this in an interview with the Daily Express, saying: “George is flying the nest, going to Eton. So there'll be one less offspring at home. And that's a tremendous wrench for any family where the child goes off to boarding school.”
The Prince and Princess of Wales's firstborn will be enrolling in F block (Eton speak for Year 9), be assigned an “uncle” to mentor him and help George adjust to the Eton way of life and a “timelord” to help him manage his diary and navigate the school's famously intense schedule.
Houses, tests, and settling in
Former Etonian and royal biographer Hugo Vickers says new students face a “colour test” on their first day, where pupils are quizzed on the house colours and unique phrases of the school. George will find out which of the school's 25 houses, home to some 50 boys, roughly 10 from each year group, he will be assigned to.
"The 25 Boarding Houses at Eton are the same but different,” the school's website explains. “They are all caring communities that put kindness and empathy at the heart of their ethos. In turn, this allows boys to develop a strong understanding of themselves and their capabilities within a safe, tolerant and understanding environment.”
He is expected to follow in the footsteps of his father (and uncle) by living at Manor House. William and Catherine will help settle him into his new home, complete with a single bed, desk and shelves. Every student, no matter their rank or position, gets their own private single room, with the size and grandeur of the space increasing with each year.
Proximity and phone rules
One of the main factors driving the decision for George to head to Eton was the close proximity of the school to the family home. Located across the River Thames from Windsor Castle, it's just a short 10-minute drive away from Forest Lodge, the Wales family's “forever home” on the Windsor Estate.
The school allows pupils to pop home on weekends, allowing George to pop home on Saturday evenings or for Sunday lunch.
William and Catherine may finally permit the second in line to the throne to have a phone, after the prince previously revealed that none of his children has a mobile - a rule the couple are “very strict about”. But with George leaving home for the first time, it may well be time for him to have a phone - for both his and his parents' benefit, as they will no longer be feeling anxious that their eldest is settling in ok.
The couple also have the added worry about social media and his ability to read stories about himself and his family at the touch of a button. While the British press has agreed to leave the 13-year-old alone and allow him to study in privacy, the new era of smartphones means anyone can become a reporter.
However, the prestigious school is well-versed in such scenarios, having already educated a direct heir to the throne, and has strict rules in place to safeguard its students. First years are not allowed to have smartphones, and the school prides itself on its ability to protect each pupil's privacy.
