Then & Now: Prince George And Prince William Were Both All Smiles For First Day At Eton
The start of the school year is often a milestone moment for proud parents and excited kids, especially when a child starts a new school. Even the royal family gets to enjoy that first day of school excitement — albeit in front of the entire world. Prince George, the future king and oldest child of William, Prince of Wales, and Catherine, Princess of Wales, has started at Eton.
Prince William attended Eton College when he was George's age. Both of them were smiling and happy on their first day at this high-end, all-boys boarding school in Windsor, and both were accompanied by their parents for the big day.
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On George's first day, he seemed so grown-up wearing his suit as he walked onto the Eton College grounds, and it looks like he will likely be taller than his mom in no time — it's hard to believe that George is growing so fast! Both William and Kate look happy and proud as they accompany their son on his first day. It mirrors what happened when William first attended Eton back in 1995. It's also fun to look at pictures of William when he started at Eton and see just how much George resembles his dad.
People can't believe how big Prince George is getting
One major difference between the father and son's first day visits to Eton College is that William, Prince of Wales, was accompanied by Prince Harry. Prince George was there alone with his parents, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis were nowhere to be seen on his first day.
The official Instagram page for the Prince and Princess of Wales shared a few photos of George in his official Eton "school dress" uniform: "a black tailcoat, waistcoat and pinstriped trousers, with a stiff white collar." The photo seems to be reminding people of the adage that with kids, the days are long, but the years are short. One person commented on Instagram: "Still can't believe it! We just watched him leave the hospital with mama after being born!"
The tradition of future kings going to Eton College started with William; Princess Diana wanted her kids to have a different education than past royal generations. That included sending them to Eton as compared to Gordonstoun, the Scottish boarding school where King Charles and Prince Philip both went.