Prince George and his class mates must follow this strict Eton rule

Prince George and his class mates must follow this strict Eton rule The historic £63,000-a-year boarding school in Berkshire only allows phones for calls and texts - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Already a member? Log in Prince George has started life at Eton College but he will only have access to a basic “brick” phone to call home. The 13-year-old heir to the throne is getting a taste of life at boarding school as well as its strict rules. The historic boarding school in Berkshire only allows phones for calls and texts instead of those with internet access. But the policy, announced in 2024, will likely come as a relief to Prince William and Kate Middleton, who have both spoken publicly about smartphone use and their concerns over devices harming children’s mental health. According to People, in November 2025, William said: “Our children don’t have phones. I think when George moves to secondary school, then maybe he might have a phone that has no internet access.” “Having a phone and text message, the old sort of brick phone as they call them, I think that’s fine,” he said. “I think it’s the internet access that I have a problem with.” Kate has also spoken about the dangers of screen time in an essay titled The Power of Human Connection in a Distracted World. In the essay published in collaboration with Professor Robert Waldinger from Harvard Medical School, she said: "While digital devices promise to keep us connected, they frequently do the opposite.” But it’s not just smartphones the prestigious school has clamped down on – Eton has also issued a rule that boys can only use a "specially designed safe browser" on their iPads to access a specific list of sites that have been approved by their teachers. The rule came after parents made complaints in 2024 about pupils using iPads for gaming while they were supposed to be in lessons or doing homework, according to Hello. The phone ban, which also came into effect in 2024 at the school for boys aged 13-18, said the decision came after a routine review of its mobile phone and devices policy. Beyond academic learning and sporting activities, Eton has a reputation for instilling self-reliance and leadership as students have to fulfil many non-academic tasks themselves. Admission is rigorous, with the boys going through stringent tests and parents pay an annual fee of £63,298. Prince William was an Eton pupil for five years beginning in 1995 and served as a house captain and prefect before leaving to study at St Andrews University, while Prince Harry joined three years after his brother. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments