Prince George is preparing to attend his uncle Prince Harry's old school, Eton College, in September. The Duke of Sussex was once mocked by classmates for a wholesome hobby he enjoyed there: picking up litter.
A Habit Learned from King Charles
Prince Harry has spoken about being teased at school for picking up rubbish. He credits his father, King Charles, for instilling this habit. In a previous interview, Harry said, "I used to get taken the mickey out of at school for just picking up rubbish. I don't go looking for it consciously. When you go for walks anywhere, if you see something, it stands out; you pick it up. It's like I've literally done this because I'm programmed to do it, because my father did it. Actually, we should all be doing it."
Prince George Follows Suit
Prince William revealed in a 2021 interview with BBC Newscast that his eldest son, Prince George, also enjoys litter picking. George participated in a litter-picking activity with his school in Battersea, south-west London. William shared that George was confused and annoyed when the class returned to the same route the next day to find the litter had reappeared. William said, "He was already showing that he was getting a bit confused and a bit sort of annoyed by the fact that they went out litter picking one day and then the very next day they did the same route, same time, and pretty much all the same litter they picked up back again."
William added that George is "acutely aware" of how his resource use affects the planet, such as not overusing water and turning off lights. William noted that Princess Charlotte is still young and not fully aware, while Prince Louis simply enjoys playing outside. "I think it is slowly dawning on them that these things matter, but when you are that young, you just want to have fun and enjoy it. I feel bad because I don't want to give them the burden of that worry," William said.
Prince George will begin his education at Eton College in the autumn term of September, following in the footsteps of his father and uncle.
