Prince George starts his 1st day at the prestigious Eton College

Prince George commenced his first day at the prestigious Eton College on Monday, following in the footsteps of his father, Prince William, and his grandfather, Prince Charles. The young prince was accompanied by his parents, William and Kate, the Prince and Princess of Wales, who were greeted by Eton's headteacher, Simon Henderson.

Eton is an esteemed 600-year-old institution renowned for its academic rigor and strong alumni network, comprising 20 British prime ministers, including current Prime Minister Boris Johnson and former Prime Ministers David Cameron. The school is also situated near Windsor Castle, a significant residence of the royal family. Eton retains traditional practices such as students wearing tailcoats and waistcoats, as well as referring to teachers as "beaks."

The annual fees for the all-boys boarding school, founded by King Henry VI in 1440, amount to approximately £65,000 ($121,000). Prince George, who is the second in line to the throne, previously attended the private Lambrook School near Windsor alongside his sisters, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. Prince William, the first royal to attend Eton, has spoken fondly of his time there, noting he often visited Windsor Castle for tea with his late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.

Prince George's debut at Eton came on the fourth anniversary of the passing of his great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II. In his memoir Spare, Prince Harry described his own Eton experience as a "profound shock," mentioning that William requested he pretend they were not acquainted. Prince William had already been at Eton for two years when Prince Harry joined the school about a year after their mother, Princess Diana, was tragically killed in a Paris car accident.

Prince Harry attributed his survival of the rigorous environment to his passion for sports. Eton continues to uphold its traditions, including the daily wearing of uniformed attire and respectful addressing of teachers as "beaks."