Prince William and Kate Leave Balmoral Ahead of George Starting Eton and Siblings Returning to Lambrook

LONDON — The Prince and Princess of Wales have left Balmoral Castle after a summer stay with King Charles III and Queen Camilla, returning south as their children prepare for the new school year and Prince George prepares to start boarding at Eton College.

Hello! magazine reported Thursday that William, Catherine and their three children — Prince George, 13, Princess Charlotte, 11, and Prince Louis, 8 — departed the Scottish estate earlier in the week on a commercial flight, their usual travel arrangement for family holidays. The Wales family had arrived at Balmoral around Aug. 20 and were seen with other members of the royal family at Sunday service at Crathie Kirk on Aug. 23.

The departure marks the end of the traditional late-summer gathering in the Highlands and the start of a busy period at home near Windsor. Charlotte and Louis will return to Lambrook School. George will begin at Eton College in September, following his father and his uncle, Prince Harry.

Kensington Palace confirmed the school choice in June, saying: "Kensington Palace can confirm that Prince George will attend Eton College from this September."

A source told Hello! that proximity to home was a key factor. "You can see Eton College from Windsor Castle. So that would be lovely for George to be able to pop home. And the boys now are allowed a little bit of freedom to pop in and out of school at the weekends, to come home for Sunday lunch or tea on a Saturday evening after their sports fixtures."

Eton, founded in 1440, is an all-boys boarding school near Windsor. Fees exceed £63,000 a year. The school has educated generations of British royalty and numerous prime ministers. George will board but remain close enough for weekend visits, a balance William experienced when he attended the same school in the 1990s.

Preparations at the college have included additional "No photography" signs around the grounds, intended to protect pupils' privacy as media interest in George's arrival increases. New students typically face early traditions such as learning house colors and school geography. Reports have said George's first term is expected to begin in early September.

The family's Balmoral stay overlapped with news that Harry, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, had returned to Britain. Multiple outlets reported that the Sussexes landed at Birmingham on Wednesday, Aug. 26, and plan an extended stay, with a home in the Cotswolds and school arrangements for the coming academic year. Kensington Palace has not issued a public comment on that development in connection with the Wales family's departure.

William and Catherine have treated school holidays as protected family time, splitting summers among Anmer Hall in Norfolk, Forest Lodge and the Scottish estate. Balmoral remains the monarch's late-summer base, with visiting relatives joining church, walks and outdoor activities away from London. This year's visit was relatively short, coming just before the start of term.

George leaves Lambrook after completing prep school, including a leavers' program of sports days and formal events. Moving to Eton is the first major educational change of his teenage years and a step that places him in a more independent boarding environment while keeping Windsor within easy reach. William has spoken in the past about the value of the school in his own life. Sources close to the family have said George wanted to follow that path.

Charlotte and Louis will continue at Lambrook, keeping two of the three children in the same familiar setting. That arrangement allows the household to manage one new boarding routine rather than three simultaneous changes.

The royal calendar typically resumes more public work in September. King Charles is expected to return to London next week for engagements. William and Catherine's immediate focus, according to reporting around the Balmoral departure, is the practical transition of uniforms, schedules and the first days of a new school for their eldest son.

Eton's location has long been cited as an advantage for royal pupils. Windsor Castle is close enough for weekend meals and family contact without removing the structure of boarding life. The Hello! source's description of Saturday teas after sports and Sunday lunches at home captures the rhythm families in the area often use.

Public attention on George's first day is expected to be high. Palace and school officials generally try to limit disruption for other pupils. The extra signage and controlled access around the college reflect that concern.

Harry also attended Eton. Comparisons between the brothers' experiences there have circulated for years, but the current story for the Wales household is narrower: a summer holiday ending, two children returning to a known school, and one beginning a new chapter a short drive from home.

The family's use of a commercial flight to leave Scotland is consistent with their recent practice of traveling in a lower-key way when possible. No official photographs of the departure were issued. Coverage has relied on Hello!'s account of the timing and on earlier public appearances at Crathie Kirk.

As term approaches, the practical details — house assignment, uniform fittings, and the first weekend permissions — will matter more to the household than the symbolism of Eton's history. For now, the verified facts are straightforward: Balmoral is over for the Wales family this summer, Lambrook resumes for Charlotte and Louis, and George is due at Eton in September, close enough to Windsor to come home when the school allows.