SerpApi.Org
Prince George is heading to Eton College this fall, but experts predict the 13-year-old royal will have a drastically different experience than his father, Prince William, and uncle, Prince Harry.
While the young prince is following directly in their historic footsteps, a modern approach to royal parenting and shifting media attitudes will shield him from the intense scrutiny of previous generations.
Unlike his father's heavily documented school days, George is expected to enjoy a surprisingly normal education. Royal expert Pauline Maclaran believes the prestigious school's demographic will work in the future king's favor.
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"I think George will blend into the crowd at Eton in that there will be plenty of other boys there also coming from wealthy and well-known families and he is unlikely to stand out in this respect," said Maclaran, co-author of Royal Fever and Professor at Royal Holloway, University of London.
Maclaran added that the campus will serve as a safe haven: "He will also be shielded there from the public eye and this should allow him to benefit from his school years to the full."
Public attitudes have shifted drastically since the turbulent 1990s, with a newfound respect for the privacy of the younger generation of royals.
"I don't see people expecting more out of George right now. At only 13, I think people will let him enjoy his childhood and teen years," royal commentator Brittani Barger noted.
"The press and people, in general, have learned a lot from the mistakes of the past with Princes William and Harry," said Barger, co-founder of Royal News.
"The Wales children have been left alone so far in their childhood, and I think that will continue," she added.
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This privacy aligns perfectly with the Prince and Princess of Wales's broader parenting strategy. Rather than leaning into an elite lifestyle, William and Kate have continuously pushed for normalcy - starting with Eton's strict admissions process.
"The emphasis has been placed on George having to do an entrance exam like everyone else wishing to study at Eton," said British broadcaster Ian Pelham Turner.
"This apparently is part of the process to show to the world that William and Kate want a normal life rather than an elite lifestyle for their children and follows on the decision of living a simpler less formal life at Forest Lodge," he added.
However, William and Kate still have to navigate typical teenage hurdles, including technology.
"Like all parents, William and Kate face the challenge of George becoming a teenager and the thorny question of mobile phones raises questions," Pelham Turner explained.
"In one way, although George will receive security, he may argue for a mobile phone as other pupils however."
Pelham Turner has some insider knowledge when it comes to Eton, that the school issues cell phones, which is definitely different from back in the day when William and Harry attended.
"Eton issues low level Nokia brick phones that only make calls and send texts without internet access and iPads for study use with age appropriate restrictions," Pelham Turner pointed out.
