Prince William, Kate Middleton wrestled with major decision over Prince George's future: expert
Prince William and Kate Middleton wrestled with a major decision about Prince George's future.
Katie Nicholl, Vanity Fair's royal correspondent and co-host of "The Royals Uncensored," first reported that Prince George received "no special treatment" and had to pass Eton College's entrance exams just like every other applicant.
Kensington Palace recently announced that George, who turns 13 on July 22, will attend the prestigious boarding school where his father and uncle, Prince Harry, were educated.
"I had been reporting for a while that Eton was the top choice," Nicholl told Fox News Digital. "Although behind the scenes, I think there was a bit of yo-yoing about whether it was the right choice. You've got to remember that George will one day be king. And, of course, William and Catherine are thinking about the future. They're thinking about creating a very modern monarchy that feels relevant."
"One of the things they were discussing was whether Eton was the right choice because it’s very much traditional, steeped in years of history and heritage and very much seen as an ‘old boys’ club.’ They weren’t sure if that was the right look for Prince George, or at least Catherine had her reservations."
Nicholl reported that Kate was initially "on the fence" about Eton. On her "short list" was her alma mater, the coed Marlborough College. However, "it is understood that, from the outset, William was very keen for his eldest son to be educated at Eton."
WATCH: PRINCE GEORGE EARNED ETON COLLEGE SPOT WITH ‘NO SPECIAL TREATMENT’: EXPERT
Fox News Digital reached out to Kensington Palace for comment.
"I think that on this one, William was pushing hard for Eton, and they did flip-flop over the issue of where to send George," royal expert Charlotte Griffiths told Nicholl. "Ultimately, it would have been a joint decision, but William always wanted Eton and thinks it's the right place for George. It breeds leaders."
British royals expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital that Eton College holds particular sentimental value for William.
People magazine previously reported that after William's mother, Princess Diana, died in 1997 at age 36, Eton provided stability for the grieving prince. He also developed a close bond with housemaster Andrew Gailey, and several friends from Eton remain close members of his inner circle.
"Eton, being in proximity to Windsor Castle, enabled him to walk over on Sundays for tea or lunch with his beloved grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II," Fordwich explained. "This provided him with a natural and casual way to receive guidance directly from her. No doubt Princess Catherine and Prince William are also anticipating staying close to Prince George in a similar manner."
"Additionally, Eton is well-versed in protecting its students from media scrutiny with global elites in attendance," Fordwich noted.
According to Nicholl, it was an easy choice for George, who was eager to follow in his father's footsteps.
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"I revealed in Vanity Fair that he had to sit [through] the assessments and the exams, pass all of those, just like everyone else who applied," said Nicholl.
"There was no special treatment. And I think there is just a sense of great relief that the decision has been made, the place has been accepted, and Prince George will be starting Eton in September. I know that William's absolutely delighted, and George, I'm told, is very proud to be going too."
"William and George are very close, and William will be making sure George is well-prepared," Griffiths also said in Nicholl's reporting. "They will hunker down and spend the summer together in Norfolk before the big move to Eton. It's an exciting time for them all."
Eton College, founded in 1440 by King Henry VI, costs about $80,000 a year, according to People magazine. It has educated generations of leaders, including 20 British prime ministers. It's also where George will likely meet many of his future peers before he becomes king.
Royal broadcaster Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital that Eton is known to teach its pupils "to be leaders, not followers."
"George will make many friends for life," said Turner. "He will also see the value of the school playing a part in a collective of power-based individuals."
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Other royal experts told Fox News Digital that the Prince and Princess of Wales likely learned lessons from King Charles III's experiences when considering George's future.
"The lessons the royals learned after sending the then-Prince Charles to Cheam and Gordonstoun, both of which he hated, are that balance is required, which William and Catherine are aware of," royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told Fox News Digital.
"It's imperative that the decisions surrounding the futures of their children fit each child's character. George, from what we know, will relish Eton, and it is also near their home at Forest Lodge. Charles was sensitive and sent to a faraway school, which was a bad mistake."
"Like both of his parents, Prince George is down to earth," Fordwich said. "From what I hear, he's a charming, well-mannered, kind-hearted, yet reserved young man."
Royal author Robert Jobson told the U.K.'s Daily Mail that George is eager to take on the challenge. Jobson reported that George asked his parents if he could try boarding at Lambrook School, where he attends with his younger siblings, Princess Charlotte, 11, and Prince Louis, 8.
"Prince William and Catherine have consistently tried to remove the unnecessary trappings of royalty while preserving the institution itself," Kinsey Schofield, host of YouTube's "Kinsey Schofield Unfiltered," told Fox News Digital.
"They aren't pretending Prince George is an ordinary child," she said. "That would be absurd. But they're also avoiding the sort of visible favoritism that feeds the outdated narrative that royals believe different rules apply to them. It's modernization through restraint rather than reinvention."
Schofield said William and Kate are raising George to embrace responsibility, not royal privilege.
"William and Catherine appear determined to teach George that being king is about responsibility, not entitlement," Schofield said. "By denying him unnecessary special treatment now, they're strengthening his credibility decades before he ever wears the crown."
"They understand that the monarchy survives because the public believes the family lives by many of the same rules everyone else does," she continued. "While George will never have a normal life, they seem determined not to manufacture unnecessary exceptions just because they can. That message is politically valuable and, honestly, good parenting."
While Kate may have initially questioned whether Eton was the right fit for her son, the Princess of Wales is now fully behind the decision as she and William continue to prioritize humility over privilege.
"There is no avoiding George’s royal lineage," said Fordwich. "Nevertheless, he has been brought up with solid family values. There are zero accounts of him ever behaving in an entitled manner because he hasn’t been pampered at all."