Prince George’s Royal Family Member Visits His New School, But It’s Unlikely Their Paths Crossed. Here’s Why

Meredith KileMon, October 5, 2026 at 5:25 PM UTC

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Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh; Prince GeorgeCredit: Dave Benett/Getty; Adrian Dennis/WPA Pool/Shutterstock -

Prince George is a few weeks into his first term at Eton College

Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh recently visited the all-boys boarding school to observe the International String Competition Final

Sophie likely didn’t appear to encounter George during her time at Eton, as the students were on a “short leave”

A member of the royal family paid a visit to Eton College last week, but it wasn’t to visit the school’s royal first-year student.

Prince George, the 13-year-old son of Prince William and Kate Middleton, began at the prestigious all-boys boarding school last month. Founded in 1440 by King Henry VI, Eton has educated generations of U.K. leaders, including 20 prime ministers and many other members of the British royal family, including George’s father and his uncle, Prince Harry.

The school also has royal connections through various patronages, which is what brought Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, to Eton last week, as she was standing in for her husband, Prince Edward. The Duke of Edinburgh, 62, is patron of the Windsor Festival, which presented the International String Competition Final at Eton on Friday, Oct. 2.

As Prince Edward is currently on a royal tour of North America, his wife stepped in to award the prize to 21-year-old Juilliard student Emad Zolfaghari, the first violinist to ever take home the award.

George did not attend the ceremony, and it’s possible he wasn’t even at Eton when his great-aunt visited. Eton’s first “short leave” break was from Oct. 2 to 4, allowing the boarding students to return home for a brief weekend visit.

Kensington Palace confirmed on June 16 that George would be attending Eton College, following his father.

“Eton was a much-needed haven for William,” royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith told PEOPLE following the announcement. “It will give George a rigorous education that he will need for his role.”

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Plus, a source close to the family added, “George has always wanted to follow in his dad’s footsteps.”

William and Kate dropped their oldest off at the school on Sept. 8, where he was greeted by the headmaster and provost before moving into his dorm and donning the classic Eton uniform like the rest of his first-year peers.

Kate Middleton, Prince George and Prince William arrive for George’s first day at Eton College on Sept. 8, 2026Credit: Adrian DENNIS / POOL / AFP via Getty

Bedell Smith said, “Yes, Eton stands for tradition, but it has moved with the times and now has a more diverse student body than it had—even in William’s day.”

She added that she believes William and Kate ultimately made their choice because of Eton’s “academic excellence and the many ways it develops its students for leadership roles.”

Meanwhile, Sophie and Edward’s only son, James, Earl of Wessex, has recently had a schooling change of his own. In August, it was announced that the 18-year-old had earned the necessary grades from his A-level exams and was set to enroll at the Royal Agricultural University this fall to study Rural Land & Property Management.

James, Earl of Wessex (far left),cx attends day four of Royal Ascot 2026 at Ascot Racecourse on June 19, 2026Credit: Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage

Both James and his older sister, Lady Louise, 22, were entitled to adopt HRH (His/Her Royal Highness) styling when they turned 18, as is their birthright as grandchildren of the late Queen Elizabeth. However, it seems neither of them plans to do so.

Speaking to The Sunday Times in 2020, Sophie said, “We try to bring them up with the understanding they are very likely to have to work for a living. Hence, we made the decision not to use HRH titles. They have them and can decide to use them from 18, but I think it’s highly unlikely.”

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