Prince William and Kate 'will have plan to show George hardship' despite Eton choice

Prince William and Kate 'will have plan to show George hardship' despite Eton choice EXCLUSIVE: The Prince and Princess of Wales’ eldest son will be heading to the prestigious Eton College for secondary school in September, with one expert explaining why the school will teach the young royal about his privilege After several months of speculation, Kensington Palace confirmed Prince George will be heading to Eton College for secondary school in September. The Prince and Princess of Wales's eldest son will follow in the footsteps of his father by attending the £63,000-a-year all-boys school - which is just a 12-minute drive from their Forest Lodge home - when classes return after the summer break. Eton College wasn’t always a given for George to attend, as rumours swirled that William and Kate were also considering sending their son to his mother's former school of Marlborough College. But according to former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond, sending George to Eton makes sense for the Wales family, given William’s history with the prestigious college, and the proximity to their home in Windsor. Jennie told the Mirror : “I’m not surprised that Eton has been chosen: there are all sorts of valid reasons for George to go there. It’s every parent’s right to choose what they believe is best for their child. William and Catherine fervently believe that Eton, in the shadow of Windsor Castle and so close to their family home at Forest Lodge, is where their son will feel safe and secure. “We all want the best for our kids, and they’ve given a lot of thought to where George should go. They have done a huge amount of research, visited several schools and undoubtedly they have included George in all their discussions. And their considered choice is Eton. Fair enough.” William, who attended Eton between 1995 and 2000 where he boarded at Manor House, thrived at the school, as did several other members of the Royal Family and 20 British prime ministers who are also part of the school’s alumni. The prince’s experience at the school, Jennie says, is key to why George will be the next royal to walk Eton’s halls. “Eton is a world William knows well,” the royal expert said. “It saw him through some of the most difficult days of his life, with his parents at war over their failing marriage, screaming headlines about them every day and, tragically, the death of Diana. “The school was his haven and sanctuary through those traumatic years. He made life-long friends there, friends he could confide in and trust. And he was happy, just as Catherine was happy boarding at Marlborough.” When William was a student at the college, he would often use his free Sunday afternoons while at the school to travel the short distance to Windsor Castle to have tea with his late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth. And Jennie believes George will have a similar experience given the school’s proximity to their family home. “It’s not as if they won’t see George: the boys can go home every two or three weeks and their parents can take them out on Sunday afternoons. They’ll also be encouraged to go along for sports, music or drama events and take part in social activities,” she said. Prince William has often spoken about making changes to the monarchy when he ascends the throne, with many royal watchers believing he will cut out some traditions to make the Firm seem more accessible. But Jennie explained, the Wales’ were always likely to send their son to prestigious school. She said: “There is, though, no getting away from the fact that it is an extremely elite school, far outside the daily experience of most of us. And it comes with eye-watering fees. So what? They’re rich. They can afford it. “William could have used George’s education to reinforce his own image as a modernising future monarch, bucking tradition, enacting change. But this isn’t about William. It’s about George and where he will be happy and safe – particularly in this age when everyone has a camera phone. Eton protected and nurtured William and Harry. It will do the same for George, and probably, eventually, Louis. “There will be other ways to show George that many people live in great hardship. I’ve no doubt his parents will continue to ensure he has some experience of life outside the gilded cage.”