Rules Prince George Will Have To Follow At Eton College

What is an education fit for a king? Prince George's parents, Prince William and Princess Catherine, set out to answer this question when they began researching high schools for their eldest son. Primed to one day become King of England, George will need a very specific education to help him fulfill his role. Not only will he need to have a good grasp of history and politics but also of public speaking and foreign relations. Religious studies will also be a key subject for George, as he will also become the Head of the Church of England.

After taking all these factors into consideration, William and Catherine decided that they would send George to the Prince of Wales' old high school, Eton College, starting in the fall of 2026. Upon hearing the news, royal expert Jennie Bond told the Mirror, "I'm not surprised that Eton has been chosen: there are all sorts of valid reasons for George to go there." Beyond the school's rigorous curriculum in the areas most important to George, it offers the strict sort of environment that meshes well with royal life. As a prince, George must follow royal rules and protocols that are way outdated. And, if all the royal rules that control teatime or restroom usage seem odd, Eton has many strange rules of its own. For George, abiding by these unique policies will likely help him prepare for a life dedicated to upholding tradition.

Prince George is primed to become King of England, and as a key member of the royal family, the prince faces a certain number of security risks. As a result of this complicated position, George will not be allowed to attend Eton College by himself. Instead, he will be accompanied by a team of personal protection officers, who will remain dedicated to his safety at all times.

In practice, this means that George will never be truly alone. Even his life in Eton's dorm rooms won't be totally private. After all, as reported by The Telegraph, the prince will sleep in the Manor House dorms — specifically because this will be the easiest place to house his overnight protection officers, as well. Although Prince George has a complex relationship with his uncle, Prince Harry, the two royals will have one thing in common once George starts school: Harry was also placed in Manor House during his own Eton days for security purposes.

Interestingly, though, Harry had mixed feelings about the arrangement. As King Charles III's second-born son would later write in his memoir, "Spare," it was not always easy making friends with a team of security guards following him around. "I needed [friends] who'd treat me normal, which meant ignoring the armed bodyguard sleeping down the hall," he wrote. Apparently, the royal rule obligating Harry to carry around a panic button did not help things. How George copes remains to be seen.

Eton College famously has its own lingo — there is even an official glossary on the school's site — and like any other student, Prince George will presumably be expected to know and understand the terminology that's specifically related to the college. Mastering the school's jargon is not just key to navigating Eton's campus but also to creating friendships and fitting in.

For starters, the fall semester is known among students as the Michaelmas Half, while the spring semester is referred to as Lent Half. The morning snack break on campus is known as chambers. Most students are called Oppidians, but those who live in a special dorm for top achievers are Collegers. The teachers are called beaks, members of the rowing team are called wet bobs, and so on. The enormous document that helps students — we mean Oppidians – keep everything related to the school straight is called the Fixtures, and, based on all these unique terms, we can see why these are an important reference point.

George has a history of enjoying school sports, and if he continues this propensity at Eton College, he can expect to be categorized in a specific group. The boys on the crew team are labeled Wet Bobs, while those who prefer cricket are Dry Bobs. Etonians must also be aware of the Wall Game, a school-specific sport that can get extremely competitive. Reports indicate that it's extremely difficult to score any points in the Wall Game. Years go by without a single goal.

Beyond memorizing the terminology of Eton College's unique vocabulary, Prince George will also have to undergo the school's legendary "colours test." On his very first day of school, George and his classmates will be asked to demonstrate their knowledge of Eton's 25 boarding houses by pointing to each one on the map and identifying its official colors. Making matters more stressful, the quiz is an oral exam. This means that George will have to stay on his toes as upperclassmen hound him with questions. Reflecting on this tradition in a piece for The Times, Eton alum Hugo Vickers recalled just how tricky the test really was. "I irritated one questioner by knowing where the sheep dip was. He thought he could catch me out," he wrote.

Luckily, George has something of an advantage when it comes to studying up for this big exam. Because his father, Prince William, also went to Eton, it feels fair to assume George will be able to turn to his dear old dad for a bit of guidance. William may also be able to help George identify some of the harder questions in advance, ostensibly improving his chances of passing the colors test with... well, flying colors. Some reports indicate that George is already excited to lean on William for support. "George has always wanted to follow in his dad's footsteps," a palace insider told People in 2026. The color test will give George and William something to bond over from the very beginning.

The colours test is only the beginning. After the school year kicks off, Prince George will also presumably experience mounting pressure to achieve a certain level of academic performance. Lest anyone think he'll simply be able to breeze through his studies because he's a member of the royal family, the prince, like any other student, will presumably be subjected to a less fun tradition during his time at school called the "rip." At Eton, instructors have the right to literally rip the top page of students' schoolwork. This generally only occurs if a certain project has not been done satisfactorily. 

That said, the college does not want rips to become a pattern. If a student starts receiving lots of rips, he will eventually be given a white ticket. This stands as an indication that he will be submitted to a full-blown progress report in which his teachers will be able to evaluate areas of improvement.

Because George is the grandson of the king, it would be easy to believe that he wouldn't have to endure the humiliation of the rip system. However, Eton is known for treating all students equally, regardless of their background. As noted by The Mirror, Prince William did not receive special treatment at the school. "I've really enjoyed being able to go about Eton as just another student," he said after graduating.

Poor academic performance is not the only situation that Prince George will have to avoid at Eton College. Tardiness is also a major issue at the prestigious all-boys' school, meaning that George will have to be extra careful to never arrive late for class. If George fails to get to all of his classes on time, he will need to add his name to the dreaded Tardy Book. Located in the school's most serious administrative offices, the Tardy Book can only be signed early in the morning — before most of the students have even had their breakfast. In practice, this means that George will lose precious sleep if he ever receives this dreaded punishment.

The whole ritual surrounding the Tardy Book may make Prince George's new school seem like Hogwarts. In reality, the Tardy Book serves as a strategy to encourage some of the most privileged students in the world to stay focused and try their best. In a 1995 piece for the Independent, an anonymous alum wrote, "Once you're inside, the school is mysteriously meritocratic. It's a competitive place, at times cruelly so; but there's no upmanship about background." According to this student, success in the classroom and on the sports pitch has more to do with one's popularity than background. In other words, George will be judged more on his ability to thrive among Eton's strange rules than on having the bluest blood in school.

Times have changed considerably since Prince William attended Eton College, and in the 2020s, Prince George will find that the vast majority of students at school will have smartphones and be on social media. For George, this will be difficult terrain to navigate, as William and Princess Catherine reportedly have no intention of allowing their son to possess one of these modern devices with all the bells and whistles. Speaking to Eugene Levy on his show "The Reluctant Traveler," William revealed, "[W]e sit and chat, it's really important. None of our children have any phones, which we're very strict about." The prince then added, "I think when George moves on to secondary school, then maybe he might have a phone that has no internet access." This means that George's experience at school may be more similar to his father's.

Of course, lacking a smartphone does not mean that George will be disconnected. The future King of England will have access to other types of technology, including a television in his dorm room. As royal commentator Jennie Bond told the Mirror, "They each have their own bed and study room with a desk and TV if they want." Plus, while George's phone may not have internet access, he will be able to use it to call home. "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," Bond added.

Prince George's royal background may not give him any palpable advantage at a competitive school like Eton College, but it will still inform the way he interacts with other students his age. As a member of the British royal family, George will not be able to date normally. Every woman with whom he falls in love will be scrutinized for her potential to serve as the next Queen of England. Consequently, many experts believe that it wouldn't have made sense for George to study at a coed boarding school. Instead, his enrollment at Eton will allow him to enjoy an all-boys' environment.

Speaking to this point in a 2026 interview with Hello!, educational consultant Melanie Sanderson of the Good Schools Guide, guessed that George would thrive in a single-sex school. "I think a coed school presents some issues that William and Kate may not want to address. They may wish someone to curate the kind of people George is socializing with," Sanderson said diplomatically. She later added, "I think that's easier in an all-boys environment." During his time at Eton, George will have few opportunities to spend time with girls his age. And, whenever Eton hosts a dance with the all-girls' school, Wycombe Abbey, George will have to interact with female students in a more supervised environment. This strict rule may limit the prince's social life, but it could also protect his privacy.

Leading up to the Kensington Palace announcement that Prince George intended to study at Eton College, there was a lot of speculation around where George would go to school. Although Prince William and Princess Catherine considered a lot of options for George, Eton stood out in one important respect. Whereas many schools have eliminated the religious element in recent years, Eton has retained a strong connection to the Church of England. The majority of boys who study at Eton — including Prince William — undergo their religious confirmation during their time at school. For George, this may be key to guaranteeing his success as the future Head of the Church of England.

In a 2026 interview with Hello!, educational consultant Melanie Sanderson explained that Eton's religious affiliation provides the perfect preparation for George's future career. "Chapel is less of a central feature at a lot of schools than it used to be, but it's still a central part of Eton. William was confirmed at Eton and I would expect George to go down the same path," Sandersen explained. Because of this important detail, it makes sense that William and Catherine felt that the eye-wateringly expensive price tag attached to Prince George's school was worth it. When it comes to educating the future King of England, it seems that no price is too high, and no opportunity for religious education is too small.

Prince George is reportedly thrilled to be attending Eton College, but some privileges are withheld from the school's youngest students. Dining at Rowland's Tap is one of the big outings that is forbidden to Etonians in their first couple years. As they get older, however, they earn the right to enjoy this fun outing. And, yes, they are allowed to imbibe in beer and other alcoholic beverages once they reach the legal drinking age. Obviously, students are expected to drink responsibly and to model good values while they are out on the town.

The school's strict rules surrounding Rowland's Tap don't just give us important insight as to what George will experience at Eton, but also help us understand what life was really like for Prince William and Prince Harry as kids. Both William and Harry studied at Eton and had the opportunity to go to Rowland's Tap once they reached the appropriate age. Fascinatingly, William also had the opportunity to experience other important privileges during his time at Eton. During his last year at school, William earned the right to join The Eton Society, better known as Pop, an oh-so exclusive student group. If George performs as well at Eton as his dad did, he can expect to earn a seat at this elite club, as well. If not, he can still enjoy a pint at Rowland's.

For many students like Prince George, wearing a school uniform is ideal for avoiding the hassle of putting together a different outfit every day. However, at Eton College, George will have to wear a uniform that's pretty unusual compared to the get-ups popular at other prestigious schools. Writing for The Guardian, Eton alum Bertie Wooster admitted that the school uniform is not necessarily on the cutting edge of fashion. He wrote, "[The uniforms] look very silly. Every Etonian has to wear a morning suit, complete with pinstripe trousers, a waistcoat and a tail-coat."

Students who have received different honors will also have to add other elements to their uniforms. Prefects, for example, wear white bow ties. Grey waistcoasts, meanwhile, go to the captains of each house. For decades, Eton's students were actually required to wear top hats, but that is no longer part of the dress code: In the aftermath of World War II, a silk shortage pushed the school to change the rules and allow students to attend their classes hat-free. 

In 1978, after yet another wave of new rules permitted students to wear casual outfits on very specific occasions, The New York Times published a piece mocking the old-fashioned uniforms — calling them an opportunity for American tourists "capturing for immortality with cameras the depressed demeanor of a youth of 13 in penguin attire" (via Eton College).