William and Kate's Big Decision About Prince George's Future

There are not many tweens who can tell you how their life is going to play out, but then again, Prince George is no ordinary child. The second-in-line to the throne, who will be turning 12 in July, has reportedly known about his destiny since he was 7 years old. And he is already stepping up and taking on some royal responsibilities, outside the group family dynamic that has largely dominated his royal interactions so far. Case in point: In May, Prince George hosted his first solo engagement, a tea party for veterans for VE Day.

William and Catherine have been careful to parent in a loving and nurturing way, giving him the most normal upbringing possibly under the circumstances. But George’s role as the eventual king of England is still at the forefront of their minds, and now they’ve made a big decision—one that will significantly affect his future.

Read on to find out what’s going on in the Wales household and what’s in store for Prince George.

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What decision have William and Kate made about Prince George’s future?

The British Royal Family Attend The Christmas Morning Service MARK CUTHBERT/GETTY IMAGES

William and Kate have chosen where Prince George will attend secondary school, and the winning choice is—drumroll, please—Eton. While the Palace has not formally confirmed it, “all roads lead to Eton,” according to the Daily Mail.

According to the British tabloid, there’s a “smugness” about the upcoming announcement from the prestigious all-boys school located in Windsor. “It was like, ‘I know something, and the people at Eton know something, but I’m not going to tell you,'” an insider said.

Prince George was spotted visiting the school with his parents in 2023, and while the decision was only just revealed (well, sort of), it was likely made a while ago. According to the school’s website, students must register before June 30 of the school year when the boy turns 10, and parents have to accept a conditional offer “by the end of March in Year 7.” That was this past March for George. School admissions then require students to sit an entrance exam in Year 8, although it’s not clear if George would have to do that.

What is Eton, exactly?

Technically called Eton College, the school isn’t actually a college as Americans would think of it. Of course, George is only 12, and he’s not Doogie Howser! Instead, it’s a very formal-sounding name for a very prestigious British secondary school, aka middle school and high school, that costs a pretty penny (er, pound?): Yearly fees are £63,000 ($87,000), which includes tuition, board, lodging and activities.

And the all-boys school has a royal history: It was founded in 1440 by Henry VI and has turned out politicians and leaders ever since. Around 20 British prime ministers went to Eton, including Anthony Eden, Harold Macmillan, David Cameron and Boris Johnson, as well as authors Ian Fleming and George Orwell and actors Eddie Redmayne and Tom Hiddleston.

It’s also famous for its distinctive uniform, called School Dress. Students sport a black tailcoat, waistcoat and pinstriped trousers, as if going to a royal wedding.

Is this decision a surprise?

Yes and no. We’ve known that William and Kate have been looking at schools for some time, and Eton was always a top contender. After all, Prince William himself attended as well back in the day! That said, some experts speculated that the family might choose a co-ed school, so Princess Charlotte could attend the same school as her brothers.

The choice was reportedly between Eton and Marlborough College, Wiltshire, a co-ed boarding school where Catherine went. Another school the Wales’s reportedly looked at was co-ed Oundle School, Northamptonshire, which is not far from their Norfolk home, Anmer Hall. But Eton won out in the end.

When will Prince George be attending?

Not for another year. He will start at Eton in September 2026, when he is 13. George currently attends Lambrook School in Berkshire, with Charlotte, 10, and Louis, 7. While state secondary schools in the U.K. start at age 11, private schools typically enroll students at 13.

Will George be boarding at Eton?

Eton College Chapel is pictured in late evening sunlight MARK KERRISON/GETTY IMAGES

Yes. Eton is a full boarding school, which means it doesn’t accept day pupils—even royal ones! Boys are placed in small boarding houses of around 50 pupils with their own “House Master” and “Dame,” and each student has his own bedroom, encouraging him to become independent. “Nurturing individuality and yet understanding and appreciating the differences of others is a central tenet of Eton’s philosophy,” according to the school’s website.

That said, even though the prince won’t be able to pop home at night, he will be able to see his family on Sundays and some set weekends. And it will be super easy to do so since Eton is actually opposite Windsor Castle and just a short distance from their home, Adelaide Cottage. It’s so close to the castle, in fact, that William used to have Sunday lunch with Queen Elizabeth when he was a schoolboy.

Where did the other royals go to school?

Both William and Harry went to Eton, but it’s only a relatively recent development that royal heirs attended school at all. Queen Elizabeth was taught by a governess, but when she was 13 and World War II was underway, Sir Henry Marten, vice-provost of Eton, would cycle to Windsor Castle to give her lessons. Later, she would visit him in his chaotic study, full of piles of books and a pet raven who pecked his ear. “This wizard’s cave was the closest that the future queen ever came to going to school,” writes biographer Robert Lacey in Royal, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Here’s where the other royals went to school:

King Charles: Gordonstoun in Scotland. This was his Prince Philip’s alma mater, but Charles hated it and called it a “hell-hole” and his time there a “prison sentence.” Dramatic much, Charles? At any rate, he did become head boy.

Princess Diana: West Heath Girls’ School in Kent. Despite later becoming a kindergarten teacher, she says she didn’t excel academically at West Heath, later joking she was “thick as a plank.” Her brother, Earl Spencer, also went to Eton.

Catherine, Princess of Wales: Marlborough College in Wiltshire. She was captain of the school’s field hockey team.

Princess Beatrice: St George’s School in Ascot. She was diagnosed with dyslexia there and also made head girl.

Princess Eugenie: Marlborough College. Yep, the same one Kate attended, though not at the same time. (Kate is a few years older than Eugenie.)

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