Prince George will start at Eton College in September after Kensington Palace confirmed the news, with a boarding school expert revealing the gruelling years-long admissions process
14:35, 18 Jun 2026
Kensington Palace has confirmed in a statement that Prince George is set to begin at Eton College this September. The Prince and Princess of Wales had deliberated over which school to send their eldest son to, ahead of his Year 7 start in September.
Although the Prince and Princess of Wales had weighed up a number of options for their oldest son — including Marlborough College, the co-educational boarding school in Wiltshire attended by Princess Kate — they ultimately decided the young prince would follow in his father's footsteps by joining Eton College.
While most people will have heard of the renowned institution, which counts numerous royals, politicians and actors among its former pupils, many may not fully appreciate the lengthy process involved in securing a place there.
In a TikTok video, specialist British boarding school adviser Caven Wagstaff, CEO of CJE Educational Consultancy, laid out the rigorous journey Prince George would have had to undertake in order to secure his place at the prestigious all-boys school.
"If your son wants to get into Eton College, here's the process most parents don't fully understand," Caven said at the opening of the video, before going on to detail the years-long procedure.
Registration
"The first stage is registration, which usually happens when boys are in Year 5, around age 9 or 10," Caven explained. "And yes, many families prepare years in advance."
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According to Eton's website, a boy can be registered at any point up to the end of UK School Year 5 (the UK academic year in which he turns 10 years old). This registration can be completed via the school's website. As part of this process, applicants must upload the student's birth certificate and pay a non-refundable registration fee of £480.
Following this, the only possible entry routes will be through scholarships or Sixth Form entry, which become available in Year 8 (for Year 9 entry) and Year 11 (for Sixth Form entry).
ISEB Common Pre test
During the autumn term of the boy's sixth year of school, they are required to sit the ISEB Common Pre-Tests in October or November. Eton's website explains that each boy's score is standardised and age-adapted to provide a measure of his ability and attainment regardless of when his birthday falls in the academic year.
"The test includes English, Maths, verbal reasoning and non verbal reasoning," Cavan said. "Your child needs above 120 [to be considered]."
The tests take roughly two and a half hours to complete and can be sat together or separately.
Eton List tests and interview
"If they perform strongly [at the pre test], they'll be invited back for the Eton List tests, which is a computerized adaptive assessment followed by interviews," Cavan went on to explain.
These assessments and interviews occur at three separate points during the Spring term, determined by when their birthday falls in the year. As Prince George's birthday is in July, he most probably underwent his evaluation and interview in late April or early May of 2025, in line with Eton's procedures.
Explaining the interview process, Cavan said: "Eton is not only looking for academic ability, they're assessing confidence, curiosity, communication and potential strong school reports and references also matter massively."
Common Entrance exam
If the pupil succeeds with the Eton List test and the interview, they will receive a conditional place at the school. This will subsequently be confirmed by passing King's Scholarship, Common Entrance or Eton Entrance examinations at age 12/13 in UK School Year 8.
Eton then clarifies that at this stage in the process, parents and boys with a Conditional Place will meet a selection of House Masters with a view to identifying a suitable Boarding house during the first and second terms of UK School Year 7.
"Most successful applicants continue preparing academically all the way through year 7 and then in year 8 where they will sit the Common Entrance exam before officially joining at thirteen," Cavan revealed.
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Parents are then required to settle the Acceptance Fee by the end of March in UK School Year 7, which in 2025 stood at £3,840. Of this sum, £500 will be returned once the pupil leaves the school, provided his final bill has been settled.
This is in addition to the termly fees, which sit at £21,099.60 per term (or "Half"), amounting to £63,298.80 annually.
Read the full article at Daily Mirror →📄Source document: Kensington Palace Statement
7 reports
Daily MirrorParty-alignedCenter3 days agoPrince George will begin attending Eton College in September, as confirmed by Kensington Palace. The decision follows deliberations by the Prince and Princess of Wales regarding their son's education. Eton College, an all-boys school attended by several notable figures, requires a rigorous and lengthy admissions process. A British boarding school adviser detailed this process in a TikTok video.
Bias read (Center): The article provides factual information about Prince George's admission to Eton College without taking a clear stance on any political issue. It focuses on the educational choices of the royal family and the admissions process, avoiding commentary or framing that suggests a particular ideological倾向
Official sources cited
- government Kensington Palace Statement
- organisation Caven Wagstaff (CJE Educational Consultancy)
BBC News (UK)State / PublicCenter5 days agoPrince George will begin attending Eton College in September, following in the footsteps of his father, Prince William. The announcement was made by Kensington Palace. Eton College is an elite boarding school for boys with annual fees of approximately £63,000. Prince George is the eldest child of the Prince and Princess of Wales and is second in line to the British throne. The BBC's senior royal correspondent, Daniela Relph, provides insight into the Royal Family's historical ties to Eton College.
Bias read (Center): The article presents factual information about Prince George's education and does not take a stance on any political issue. It focuses on the educational background of a member of the royal family without any apparent bias or ideological framing.
Official sources cited
- organisation Kensington Palace
iNewsIndependentCenter5 days agoThe article discusses Prince George's upcoming enrollment at Eton College, highlighting the school's high costs and traditional nature. It notes that Prince William and Catherine chose Eton after considering other options, believing it would provide a safe and secure environment for their son. The piece references William's past at Eton and mentions other schools considered, such as Malborough College.
Bias read (Center): The article presents facts about Eton College's cost and the decision-making process of the royal family without overtly favoring any political perspective. It includes balanced commentary on the contrast between William's modernizing image and his choice of a traditional school, but does not take a
Daily MailIndependentCenter5 days agoPrince George, aged 12, will attend Eton College starting in September, following in the footsteps of his father, Prince William. The decision was confirmed by Kensington Palace, and the Mail was the first to report the news over four years ago. The school is located near Windsor Castle, which is considered the family's permanent residence. While the Prince and Princess of Wales explored other educational options, they ultimately decided on Eton after George completed his Common Entrance Exams. His younger siblings will remain at their current school, Lambrook.
Bias read (Center): The article provides factual information about Prince George's upcoming education at Eton College without showing any clear ideological bias. It includes quotes from Kensington Palace and references prior exclusives from the Mail, but does not present any overtly biased language or selective framing
Official sources cited
- organisation Kensington Palace Statement
The IndependentIndependentCenter5 days agoPrince George will attend Eton College starting in the autumn, according to Kensington Palace. This follows in the footsteps of his father, Prince William, who attended the same school. The announcement comes after reports suggested the couple had been considering options for George's education. Eton is located near the Waleses' residence at Windsor. It remains unclear whether George will board at the school.
Bias read (Center): The article provides factual information about Prince George's upcoming schooling without taking a stance or using biased language. It includes quotes from official sources (Kensington Palace) and references historical context regarding the royal family's educational choices. There is no evident slm
Official sources cited
- organisation Kensington Palace statement
BBC News (UK)State / PublicCenter5 days ago Prince George to attend Eton College from SeptemberPrince George will begin attending Eton College in September, following in the footsteps of his father, the Prince of Wales. The decision comes after speculation about his future schooling, with options including Marlborough College, which his mother attended. Eton College, a prestigious private institution, has a long history and has educated numerous notable figures, including 20 British prime ministers.
Bias read (Center): The article provides factual information about Prince George's upcoming education at Eton College without taking a stance or using biased language. It presents the decision neutrally, mentioning the historical significance of the school and its connection to other royal family members without favor.
Official sources cited
- organisation Kensington Palace
Sky News (UK)IndependentCenter5 days agoPrince George will attend Eton College starting in September, according to confirmation from Kensington Palace. The school charges £63,000 per year.
Bias read (Center): The article reports a factual statement about Prince George's education without any apparent ideological framing, loaded language, or selective sourcing. It simply relays information from Kensington Palace.
Official sources cited
- organisation Kensington Palace
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