Jennie Bond: 'I watched William start Eton – but this is an even bigger step for George'

Prince George will follow in the footsteps of his father Prince William when he officially enrols at the £63,000-a-year Eton College in the coming days. The 13-year-old, second-in-line to the throne, is continuing his education at the Berkshire school, which dates back to the 1400s and has educated 20 Prime Ministers, as well as his uncle, Prince Harry. He will be boarding full-time for the first time and will be required to wear the traditional Eton uniform, which consists of a black tailcoat, waistcoat, pinstripe trousers and a white bow tie - unlike any state school uniform in the UK. On his first day, George is expected to be pictured as he officially enrols at Eton in scenes that could echo those of when the Prince of Wales did the same exactly 31 years ago in September 1995. Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond, was there to witness William arrive at Eton for his first day more than three decades ago - and she believes the change for George on starting at the school could be an even bigger step than when his father began there. On that day, Bond watched and recalled that despite the dozens of photographers and reporters, William, who had previously been a boarder at Ludgrove Prep, beamed on his first day, as then Prince Charles and Princess Diana put on a rare show of unity to escort him in amid their bitter marriage break-up. But she told the Mirror : “It is much more of a big step for George, who has had the security and comfort of living at home until now. There’s no getting away from the fact that moving away from your family home – and George’s family home is a very happy and secure one indeed – is going to be a wrench. “But it’s going to be the most enormous help to George to know that his dad went through exactly the same process and he can turn to him for advice, comfort or support. “He has also had the occasional night or two boarding at his previous school of Lambrook, so I think we can assume that he was comfortable with being away from home. And I’m certain William and Catherine wouldn’t send him to Eton unless George was completely happy with the idea. “Several of his school friends are moving up with him, and, like William, he will probably forge some wonderful friendships which will stay with him for life. “And he is so close to home that he will certainly be seeing his parents and siblings pretty much as often as he wants. It’s a big step in any young boy’s life, but one for which, by all accounts, George is very much ready. When George arrives at Eton, like all new boys, not only will he will need to accustom himself to the uniform, which was first adopted in 1820 in mourning for the death of King George III. He will also have to fit into a new routine, where lessons end at about 5pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Tuesdays and Thursdays are half-days, but pupils also work half a day on Saturdays. Students at the school, which educates around 1,345 boys between the ages of 12 and 19, 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 fields and offers 25 different sports, including Eton fives, a handball game invented at the College in the late 19th century. Unlike during William’s time at the school, there will be no regular updates about George's school life or pictures of him in school sports matches or performing in plays. With the Eton campus spread across several buildings, which require pupils to walk around the town to get to classes, ‘no photography’ signs have also been installed warning off any photographers as well as the public from taking snaps due to most people now carrying smartphones. And in keeping with the Prince and Princess of Wales' desire to ensure their children have a normal as possible childhood, it could be that they don’t even make public his GCSE or A-level results when he takes them. Some eyebrows have been raised by William and Kate’s decision to send George to traditional Eton - especially given the Prince and Princess of Wales attempting to cultivate a modernising image for the monarchy. But Bond said: “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. “It is highly privileged, but I’m sure that William and Catherine will not lose sight of their determination to show all of their children how lucky they are and how, with their role in life, they can in the future try to help those far less privileged.” And thinking back to when she watched William at Eton on his first day, she added: “All in all, William looked very comfortable with this new chapter in his life – and with good reason. In the years that followed, Eton did indeed become something of a haven for him as his parents’ turbulent divorce proceedings continued. And then, of course, Diana’s death.”