Prince George arrived at Eton with William and Catherine for his first day, but the new photos soon shifted the focus to how much the royal teen has grown.
George walked into Eton between his parents before appearing in the school’s distinctive formal dress. The photographs that followed soon had commenters remarking on just how much the young prince had changed.
George began his education at Eton College on September 8, 2026, accompanied by his parents, Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales.
The first photographs showed George arriving in a dark navy suit, white shirt, and patterned navy tie. Later, William and Catherine shared three formal portraits of their eldest son on their official Instagram account with the caption, “George’s first day at Eton.”
Born on July 22, 2013, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, London, according to the Royal Family’s official website, George has grown up in the public eye. His arrival at Eton offered a new marker of how quickly those years have passed.
The school already has strong ties to his family. CNN reported that William and his younger brother, Prince Harry, both attended Eton.
William started at Eton in September 1995, when photographs showed him arriving with his mother, the late Diana, Princess of Wales; his father, King Charles III; and younger brother, Harry. In 1998, Harry followed him to Eton.
William arrived at Eton in 1995 with the late Diana, Princess of Wales; his father, now King Charles III; and Prince Harry. Decades later, William would return to the school for George’s first day. | Source: Getty Images
According to People, other royals who studied there include Prince Edward, Duke of Kent; Prince Michael of Kent; and Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester.
Eton’s own history stretches back nearly six centuries. The school’s official history says Henry VI founded it in 1440 as “Kynge’s College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore.”
Its original foundation provided housing and education for 70 boys known as King’s Scholars, while other pupils, known as Oppidans, paid for their accommodation. Eton now has 24 boarding houses in addition to College, where King’s Scholars live, and since 2002, applicants have earned places through interviews, tests, and references.
Harry arrived at Eton in 1998 with his father, now King Charles III, and housemaster Dr. Andrew Gailey. His enrollment followed William’s and preceded George’s arrival nearly three decades later. | Source: Getty Images
George’s arrival was a more personal scene. The young royal smiled as he walked between his parents in the rain, at one point turning toward William during a lighthearted moment.
Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis were not seen with William and Catherine in the photographs. The images showed the couple accompanying George as he entered the school.
Catherine wore a dark green, long-sleeved midi dress with a fitted waist and flared skirt and carried a large black umbrella with a curved wooden handle. William wore a dark suit, a striped shirt with a blue tie, and carried a closed umbrella.
The family crossed School Yard, Eton’s cobblestoned quadrangle, where a statue of the founder stands. Principal Simon Henderson and provost Nicholas Coleridge met them there and spoke with the family for several minutes.
The principal welcomed George with a few words: “Welcome, good luck, enjoy it.”
After arriving in a suit, George changed into Eton’s formal school uniform: a black tailcoat over a fitted black waistcoat and white shirt, paired with a stiff white collar, dark pinstriped trousers, and polished black shoes. His light brown hair was swept neatly to one side.
In one portrait, he beamed at the camera with his hands tucked into his pockets. In another, he stood beneath a stone archway with his hands clasped in front of him.
The portraits made George’s more mature appearance especially noticeable. Social media users commented on how much he had grown and compared his features with those of other family members.
On Facebook, one user wrote, “Oh goodness George is a Middleton, strongly with his mother’s features and coloring. Don’t see anything of William. But maybe over time that will change.”
Another commenter made the same comparison more playfully: “Did William’s genes even try?” A third user focused on his demeanor, writing, “I see a huge confidence difference between the two. Different times back then.”
Another simply remarked, “Very handsome and intelligent.” In another discussion, attention turned to the family photographs. One user asked, “William couldn’t hold the umbrella?”
Another was struck by George’s height beside Catherine: “Bet he’s taller than his Mum when she isn’t in heels now! Beautiful photos of them. Best of luck to George. Wonder if he’ll behave like his Dad or like his uncle Harry did at school. 😆”
A separate commenter made an even more direct comparison with William: “He’s almost as tall as his father!” Someone else returned to the rainy arrival, writing, “She had to hold her own umbrella!”
Catherine’s expression then prompted a different reaction.
On the same platform, one observer wrote, “Mom has the look of a concerned mom.” A different person offered a different reading of the moment: “Mum and Dad so proud.”
The reactions to George continued on Instagram, where his formal portraits prompted comments about his increasingly mature appearance.
One royal watcher wrote, “He is most handsome prince in Europe ! 😁😁🤭 [sic]” Another remarked, “A handsome and charming young man. He looks very poised and mature 😍👍💯🔥.”
A different supporter saw a resemblance to his late great-grandmother, writing, “What a handsome young man.. Bdw, his teeth is like the late queen Elizabeth [sic].”
The comments included comparisons with Catherine’s family and the late Queen Elizabeth II, as well as observations about George’s height and mature appearance.
The day also echoed William’s own arrival at Eton. More than three decades after beginning there himself, William returned with Catherine to accompany George on his first day.
The photographs also offered a reminder of how quickly the years have passed for a prince the public has watched grow up. Now 13, George arrived at Eton with his parents, looking noticeably older in the formal portraits that prompted comments about his increasingly mature appearance.
