Prince George Reaches New Eton College Milestone Just Weeks After Starting Boarding School

Prince George has reached another significant milestone in his first term at Eton College, less than a month after beginning life at the historic boarding school.

The 13-year-old future king started at Eton on 8 September, following in the footsteps of his father, Prince William, and uncle Prince Harry. Now, the school calendar has reached its first official “Short Leave” of the Michaelmas term, giving pupils a scheduled break from boarding life from 2 to 4 October.

For George, the weekend represented an early marker in what will be a five-year journey at one of Britain’s best-known schools.

While there has been no official confirmation from Kensington Palace about exactly where the Prince spent the break, reports suggest he was likely able to return to his family in Windsor.

People reported that the short leave may have allowed George to spend time with the Prince and Princess of Wales and his younger siblings, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

Eton is only a short distance from the Wales family’s Windsor home, making the arrangement considerably different from that experienced by many boarding pupils whose families live farther away.

The distinction is important because this was not necessarily George’s first opportunity to leave Eton since arriving.

The college also scheduled an optional “B Weekend” on 19 and 20 September, during which pupils were permitted to leave after Saturday commitments and return by Sunday evening.

The 2–4 October break, however, was the first formal Short Leave of the new academic year.

Prince George settles into his new Eton life

George’s move to Eton has attracted considerable attention because it represents one of the biggest changes in his childhood so far.

He had previously attended Lambrook School alongside Charlotte and Louis. Starting at Eton meant not only moving to secondary education but also beginning a more conventional boarding-school routine.

Reuters reported that George arrived at Eton with William and Catherine on 8 September and was welcomed by headmaster Simon Henderson.

The school, founded by Henry VI in 1440, has educated generations of prominent British figures, including 20 prime ministers. Current annual fees are around £65,000.

The choice also continues a significant family connection. William attended Eton between 1995 and 2000, while Harry studied there from 1998 to 2003.

Education specialist Melanie Sanderson, Managing Editor of The Good Schools Guide, suggested before George’s arrival that his background at Lambrook and his father’s familiarity with Eton should make the transition easier.

Speaking to People, Sanderson said:

“I’m confident that he will be very well prepared.”

She explained that Eton has distinctive traditions and terminology that can initially be unfamiliar to pupils, but George is likely to have grown up hearing about aspects of the school from his father.

Lambrook is also regarded as an established route into schools such as Eton, while Prince George had already experienced occasional boarding before making the move.

Royal historian Amanda Foreman has also highlighted another factor that may have influenced William and Catherine’s decision: privacy.

Discussing the family’s choice, Foreman described Eton as a “flight to safety”, saying the Prince and Princess of Wales know the school offers “absolute discretion”.

She added that it was a “trusted, tried and true” option rather than requiring the family to establish entirely new arrangements around a future monarch.

That discretion could become increasingly important as George grows older and attracts greater attention because of his position as second in line to the throne.

His father had a similar experience when he joined Eton at 13. Prince William has previously spoken warmly about being close enough to Windsor Castle to visit Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip during weekends away from school.

Royal biographer Robert Lacey has said Prince Philip played an important part in those meetings, describing him as

“crucial in helping coach William as a future King.”

According to Lacey, Philip helped establish private lunches between William and the late Queen while the young prince was studying at Eton.

George’s circumstances are different, but the proximity between school and family home could similarly allow him to combine the independence of boarding school with regular family contact.

The latest milestone comes as George approaches the one-month mark in his first term. His next substantial break is already approaching: Eton’s official timetable lists Long Leave from Friday 23 October until Sunday 8 November 2026.

Another Short Leave is scheduled from 28 to 30 November, before the Michaelmas term ends on 17 December.

For now, there has been no indication from Kensington Palace of any difficulty with George’s transition.

Public reporting around his first weeks has instead focused on the familiar environment, his father’s connection to the school and the balance William and Catherine appear to be seeking between royal tradition and an ordinary family life.

The Prince George Eton College milestone may seem like a routine weekend in the school calendar, but for a 13-year-old who will one day become king, it marks another small step towards greater independence while still keeping home remarkably close.