Eton College and its history of educating royalty, prime ministers and Olympians – and now Prince George
Eton College, one of Britain’s oldest and most distinguished public schools, was founded in 1440 by Henry VI. It has shaped generations of the country’s elite since its founding by Henry VIII.
Its motto, “Floreat Etona” (Let Eton Thrive), adorns its coat of arms, symbolizing a legacy that includes 20 prime ministers and numerous British and foreign royals.
Distinguished Old Etonians include the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex, political figures David Cameron and Boris Johnson (contemporaries) and actors Eddie Redmayne, Tom Hiddleston and Hugh Laurie.
The late Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth even took history lessons from the teacher Henry Marten, who was later knighted on the university steps by King George VI.
The boarding school, whose annual fees exceed £63,000, maintains its reputation for academic excellence by consistently sending dozens of students to Oxford and Cambridge universities each year.
Last year, almost all of Eton’s students achieved grades 7-9 at their GCSEs, while more than three-quarters of the university’s A-Level group achieved an A or A*.
At the school, which enrolls approximately 1,345 boys aged 12 to 19, students can choose from up to 28 subjects, including nine modern and classical languages such as Latin and Ancient Greek.
Outside the classroom, the school has 350 acres of playing field and offers 25 different sports, including Eton Fives, a netball game invented at the College in the late 19th century.
A former Etonian, he won medals at every Olympic Games between 1992 and 2016; graduates represented Team GB in rowing, cycling, sailing and equestrian events.
Music and theater are also integral tenets of life at Eton; There are 50 ensembles and choirs to choose from, and around 18 plays are performed each year.
It is not known whether Prince George will board at Eton due to its proximity to Windsor Great Park, where he lives with his family, but the school does not currently have any day students.
Each student is a member of one of 25 “houses” of around 55 boys each, the latter of Eton College.
Both William and Harry belonged to Manor House during their stay at Eton, so it is likely that George followed suit.
Used as a boarding house since at least 1723, Manor House was also the home of the 1st Duke of Wellington. He claimed: “I truly believe that I owe my entrepreneurial spirit to this place.”
Each boy has his own study room, but the boys live, study and eat together.
On his arrival at Eton, George, like all new boys, was introduced to King Henry III for the first time in 1820. He will have to get used to the uniform adopted to mourn George’s death.
The timeline uniform consists of a black frock coat and waistcoat, pinstripe trousers, a wing collar, and a white bow tie.
The school day begins with breakfast at the boarding house at around 7.30am, followed by Chapel an hour later.
Classes end around 17:00 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Tuesdays and Thursdays are half days, but students also work half days on Saturdays.
