Why Is Prince George Going to Boarding School? Inside the Royal Tradition
Why Is Prince George Going to Boarding School? Inside the Royal Tradition
Laura Rizzo ChaganiSun, April 19, 2026 at 4:52 PM UTC
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Prince George will turn 13 years old in July, marking a significant educational milestone for the British royal family.
George currently attends the coeducational prep school Lambrook School along with his sister, Princess Charlotte, and his little brother, Prince Louis. At age 13, it is time to move to secondary school, or high school as it’s called in the U.S., and the heir apparent will likely follow in his family’s footsteps at a prestigious boarding school.
Why Will Prince George Go to Boarding School?
Besides tradition, boarding school can offer security and privacy for a young royal as they navigate their teenage years. In addition, it makes it a more natural setting for socializing among their peers and building independence.
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William and his brother, Prince Harry, began boarding school at the age of 8, following a long-standing royal tradition. Both attended Ludgrove School before transferring to Eton College from the ages of 13 to 18. Although their mother, Princess Diana, hated starting them so young, she later acknowledged that boarding school gave her sons a more “normal life” and the chance to socialize, instead of being isolated in the palace and taught only by tutors.
Prince William arrives with Diana, Princess of Wales and Prince Harry for his first day at Eton College on September 6, 1995 in Windsor, England. (Photo by Anwar Hussein/Getty Images)Will Prince George Attend Eton College?
Eton College, William’s alma mater, is an all-boys full boarding school in Windsor, near the Prince and Princess of Wales’ Forest Lodge home located in Windsor Great Park.
The school for boys ages 13 to 18 is highly competitive and academically focused. A whopping 20 prime ministers have graduated from the institution, including Boris Johnson, David Cameron, and Harold Macmillan. The $70,000 per year price tag includes tuition, boarding, most games and activities, and educational materials.
While William and Kate have not confirmed this is where George will be going, it has been rumored that Eton is the top contender. Although students start as teens, they must be registered before June 30 of the school year when the boy turns 10, per Eton’s website, noting, "After this, the only route of entry will be through scholarships or Sixth Form entry, which open in Year 8 (for Year 9 entry) and Year 11 (for Sixth Form entry)."
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William was the first senior royal to attend Eton when he enrolled in 1995, as his father attended Gordonstoun School in Scotland, but there were many other familiar faces on the alumni list. Princess Diana's brother and father were pupils there, as well as the Duke of Kent, the Duke of Gloucester, and Prince Michael of Kent, all relatives of Queen Elizabeth II.
During William’s time at Eton, he also forged a very strong bond with his grandmother, Elizabeth, during their weekly lunches. Robert Lacey, author of Battle of the Brothers, recounted Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Philip, “intervening” in William’s life while Charles and Diana’s marriage was falling apart.
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"The 13-year-old was in a fragile place — alone and just starting boarding at the elite Eton College across the river from Windsor. Concerned for her grandson's emotional state, the Queen invited William up to join her when Eton boys went home for the weekend,” Lacey wrote in an essay for People. "Philip was crucial in helping coach William as a future King. It was Philip's idea to set up the lunches between William and his grandmother. When the time came for the Queen to talk business with William, Philip would quietly excuse himself because he didn't feel that the constitutional side of the Queen's job was something he wanted to interfere in."
Will Prince George Attend Marlborough College?
Unlike previous heirs, George has always attended coed day schools, a direct reflection of William's modern parenting philosophy.
"That chimes with William wanting to do things in a more modern way, putting all three children in the same school," royal author Sally Bedell Smith told People. "It’s a new direction — groundbreaking for the royal family."
BRACKNELL, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 07: Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis (C), accompanied by their parents the Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, arrive for a settling in afternoon at Lambrook School, near Ascot on September 7, 2022 in Bracknell, England. The family have set up home in Adelaide Cottage in Windsor's Home Park as their base after the Queen gave them permission to lease the four-bedroom Grade II listed home. (Photo by Jonathan Brady - Pool/Getty Images)Jonathan Brady - Pool/Getty Images
Unlike Eton, Marlborough College is coed and offers an option of full boarding or daytime only. It is situated in a rural Wiltshire town and is regarded as having a more modern approach to education.
Perhaps even more importantly, it is the alma mater of Kate Middleton and her siblings, Pippa and James.
If George attends Eton, it is likely Louis will also follow suit. However, as it’s an all-boys institution, it’s been strongly suggested that Princess Charlotte attend Marlborough like her famous mother.
This story was originally published by Parade on Apr 19, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
