Prince Harry entered Eton College in 1998, marking a particularly difficult transition in his young life. The Duke of Sussex, 41, entered the prestigious boys’ boarding school a year after the death of his mother, Princess Diana, a timing that made it emotionally challenging for him to adjust to the school.According to People magazine, Harry had hoped that his older brother, Prince William, would help him ease into the school environment. Instead, Harry encountered reactions that would remain a source of pain for years to come. In his 2023 memoir, Backup, Harry recounted how William asked him to keep his distance in public and asked him to “pretend I didn’t know him” at school.
Prince Harry’s difficult adjustment to Eton
In his memoirs, Harry described his experience starting at Eton as a “profound shock”. Harry explained William’s perspective on the situation. “He was building his own life and he was unwilling to give that up,” Harry wrote, acknowledging that his brother had established his own status at the school and was unwilling to change that established status by publicly acknowledging his younger sibling.
How Prince Harry coped as a student
Rather than quitting completely, Harry found an outlet that would sustain him through his years at the institution. During this difficult period of adjustment and emotional recovery, sports became his main refuge. Harry grew up playing a variety of sports, including rugby, soccer, cricket and polo, all of which provided him with physical activity and psychological relief.
Harry revealed that rugby, football and other sports became his refuge during emotionally difficult years at Eton. Image source (Instagram)
Years later, when Harry looked back on this period, he spoke candidly of the role sport played in his survival at Eton. “Sports brought me together,” he told TIME in June, emphasizing that the activities were crucial to his health during his studies.In addition to athletics, Harry struggled to meet the academic demands of school. In “Spare,” he admitted that he was “way beyond my capabilities” academically and described the adjustment to Windsor College as extremely challenging. Eton College has long been recognized as one of the most rigorous educational institutions in the world, training generations of leaders in British history, including 20 prime ministers.
Prince William and Kate Middleton choose Eton for Prince George
Harry’s experience at Eton has taken on new significance with the recent announcement that Prince William and Kate Middleton’s eldest son, Prince George, will attend the same school. On June 16, Kensington Palace confirmed that Prince George would attend Eton College in September, ending years of speculation about where the young royal would receive his secondary education.The decision surprised some royal observers, who had expected that Prince William and Kate might choose a more modern educational institution for their son. However, the couple ultimately decided that Eton, which educated Prince William, 43, would be a suitable choice for Prince George, second in line to the throne.
In his memoir Spare, Harry recalled feeling hurt after Prince William asked him to keep their relationship a secret at school. Image source (Instagram)
The research behind Prince William and Kate Middleton’s decision
The decision to send Prince George to Eton was not made hastily, according to royal watchers and people close to the family. Royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith told the media in an interview that Eton was the ideal choice for the young prince. “Eton is a much-needed haven for William. It will provide George with the rigorous education he needs,” Smith said, emphasizing the school’s personal significance to Prince William and its educational value to future heirs to the throne.Elsa Anderson, Queen Elizabeth II’s former press secretary, added further background on the thoroughness of the decision-making process. “Both William and Catherine did a lot of research to make the right decision,” Anderson told the publication, noting that the couple visited Kate’s own alma mater, Marlborough College, twice to evaluate their options.
Prince George keen to follow in father’s path
Although other school options were available, Prince George himself seemed to prefer the path his father took. Sources revealed that the young prince has expressed a desire to attend Eton College. “George has always wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps,” a source familiar with the matter revealed. He said that although Prince William had a complicated relationship with his brother over the years, his positive experiences at school influenced his son’s views on education and his future role.
