How Prince George’s start at Eton will be worlds away from his father’s because he will ‘absorb the confidence’ of his parents while William ‘carried Charles and Diana’s marital war’, says ROBERT JOBSON

More than three decades ago, Prince William, then 14, stood in front of the imposing red brick of Eton College, ready to begin the first chapter of his teenage years.

Just two years from that moment, the future King was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders, following the tragic death of his mother, Princess Diana, and the pain of his parents’ public divorce.

She is now 44 and her son Prince George, who turns 13 next week, will follow in her academic footsteps when he enrolls at the prestigious secondary school next September.

But royal experts said the young heir would be a world away from the emotional environment his father William was in.

“Difference is everything,” commentator Robert Jobson told the Daily Mail. ‘William entered Eton carrying his parents’ marital struggles. George walks into an inhabited house.

‘Two parents together who built him a base and fiercely protected him. Trust is not taught. It’s absorbed.’

He described how years ago he first saw a young Prince of Wales struggling with the brave new world of adolescence.

Robert shared: ‘It was September 6, 1995. Eton College. I was there too, part of the group as a reporter outside the Manor House. Behind a steel barrier.

‘A thirteen-year-old boy went to his home with his mother and father, Dr. He went out to take a picture with Andrew Gailey.

‘He had signed the Entry Book. Charles and Diana stood on either side of him. By then they had separated. The divorce was a year away.

‘No one standing there that morning knew what Gailey, a quiet Ulsterman and historian, would become for that boy. A rock.

‘Two years after the photocall, Diana had died, and it was Gailey who took William under her wing and kept him stable, educationally and emotionally. School became his refuge.

‘It seems like yesterday. Time flies. That boy is now the Prince of Wales. His son Prince George turns 13 on July 22 and is going to the same school for the Michaelmas Half.’

Robert revealed that William and Kate are doing everything and more to carry their older son as George prepares for a new academic term.

Robert revealed that William and Kate are doing everything and more to carry their older son as George prepares for a new academic term.

‘He asked them if he could come on board at Lambrook every week. They accepted. This helped him grow and become part of a collective,’ the expert said.

‘He is smart. He loves history. His father said so clearly, standing in front of Henry VIII’s armor last October. “My son George is much better at history than I am, and now I have to consult him about my appointments.”

‘He plays football and hockey. Hockey is his mother’s game. He supports Aston Villa like his father. I’m happy to cheer in public and punch the air.

‘He couldn’t escape the pain. He watched his mother fight and beat cancer. He watched his grandfather live with him. It turned out to be more stable.

‘Eton will be challenging but being close to home, in the shadow of Windsor Castle, will help.

‘When she steps out in her faux-collared frock, she’ll look like a picture.

‘But the environment will protect him, as did his father, who was successful there.

‘Then from time to time. We hope it’s mostly for George’s sake.’

Kensington Palace announced earlier this summer that their son would be attending Eton.

More than four years ago, The Mail was the first to exclusively reveal that the future King’s name had been named for the £63,000-a-year boarding school; sources said it was the Prince and Princess of Wales’ ‘number one choice’.

Royal experts said the young heir would be a world away from the emotional environment his father William was in. Photo of William in 1995

More than three decades ago, Prince William, then 14, stood in front of the imposing red brick of Eton College, ready to begin the first chapter of his teenage years. Just two years from that moment, the future King was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders, following the tragic death of his mother, Princess Diana, and the pain of his parents’ public divorce. Photo of William in 2000

One of its advantages is that it’s just a stone’s throw from Windsor Castle, where the family set up their ‘forever home’ at Forest Lodge on the Berkshire estate.

But the couple also explored other options and in recent years have been spotted at many different schools across the country as they search for the best place for their eldest child to continue his education.

But earlier this month the Mail again revealed that their decision was made after 12-year-old George sat the Joint Entrance Exams.

The prince, who occasionally boarded at his current school, Lambrook, near Ascot in Berkshire, in preparation for the move, will turn 13 on July 22 and will be ready to go to high school from the autumn.

Their younger siblings, 11-year-old Princess Charlotte and eight-year-old Prince Louis, will stay at Lambrook, where they are extremely happy.

William’s subsequent departure to Eton with his brother Prince Harry was considered a departure from royal norms.

Both their father, King Charles, and their grandfather, the late Duke of Edinburgh, were sent to Gordonstoun in Scotland.

Although Philip loved her, Charles was brutally bullied, calling her ‘Colditz in the Skirt’.

William’s mother, Princess Diana, was particularly keen on Eton as it was closer to her and the rest of the family.

Renowned royal correspondent Robert Jobson traces the modern monarchy’s turbulent journey from King George V to the future King in The Windsor Legacy

It turned out to be the right decision and by all accounts William really enjoyed his time there.

He flourished educationally, becoming a prefect and therefore a member of the elite group ‘Pop’, who had the privilege of wearing a patterned waistcoat alongside his black frock coat, bow tie, brogue and stiff-collared shirt.

He also enjoyed the school’s sporting facilities and made many great friends, many of whom he is still close with today.

He also often walked over the bridge to Windsor to have lunch with his late grandmother at her home in Berkshire.

A source previously told the Mail: ‘It’s a natural choice, it always was. Living in Windsor is a long-term decision for Welsh people.’

On its website, Eton describes itself as ‘a modern, forward-thinking school that embraces innovation and new opportunities to provide an outstanding, progressive and well-rounded education’.

It is ranked in the top 10 among boarding schools in the country; It is one of the most effective and successful schools.