Prince William, Kate Face Eton's Old-World Traditions as Prince George Settles Into Royal Alma Mater

LONDON — Prince George has begun the next chapter of his education at Eton College, following his father into one of Britain's most storied schools, even as royal watchers note that adjusting to the institution's centuries-old customs and internal vocabulary can be its own learning curve for new pupils and their families.

The 13-year-old, who is second in line to the British throne, arrived at Eton on September 8 for his first day, accompanied by his parents, Prince William and Catherine, the Princess of Wales. The family was greeted by the school's head master, Simon Henderson, in scenes that echoed William's own arrival at Eton three decades earlier. George, who wore a jacket, shirt and tie for his arrival, later changed into the school's traditional uniform of a black tailcoat, waistcoat and pinstriped trousers with a stiff white collar.

The move to Eton marks a significant milestone for the future king, who previously attended Lambrook School, a private preparatory school in Berkshire also attended by his younger siblings, Princess Charlotte, 11, and eight-year-old Prince Louis. Lambrook, which only educates pupils through Year 8, has long served as a regular feeder school into Eton, sending a steady stream of boys on to the College over the years.

Melanie Sanderson, managing editor of The Good Schools Guide, said the transition to Eton brings with it a distinctive institutional culture that can take some adjustment, even for a family with deep ties to the school. "Eton has its own language—they call year groups different things," Sanderson told PEOPLE. "It's from a bygone era, but of course, when your dad has been through that system, it's probably been part of his vernacular for most of his life. As parents, you do talk about your school days, and your kids can relate to that. I'm confident that he will be very well prepared."

Sanderson noted that George's previous school should have eased the path considerably. "Lambrook is really used to sending boys off to Eton," she said. "It's a regular feeder for Eton College and lots of boys would have trodden that path before, so it's nothing new. It's a prep school, so its absolute purpose is to prepare its boys and girls for their next school."

George's enrollment continues a family tradition stretching back generations, though not an unbroken one. William attended Eton from 1995 to 2000, becoming the first heir in the direct line to the throne to be educated there. His father, King Charles, was instead sent to Gordonstoun, the rugged Scottish boarding school also attended by Charles's own father, Prince Philip, who reportedly found his time there difficult. William, by contrast, has spoken warmly of his years at Eton, recalling in the past how he would walk over to nearby Windsor Castle on weekends for tea with his grandmother, the late Queen Elizabeth II. George's uncle, Prince Harry, also attended Eton before William and Kate's own three children were born.

Founded in 1440 by King Henry VI, Eton College sits just outside Windsor, within easy reach of Adelaide Cottage, where William, Kate and their three children currently live. The proximity to the family home has been cited as one of the practical factors behind the decision to send George there rather than to Marlborough College, the Wiltshire school where Kate herself was educated and which had been seen as a rival contender for years before the announcement. Unlike Marlborough, which is co-educational, Eton remains an all-boys school, meaning Charlotte will not be able to join her brother there when her own time comes to move on from Lambrook.

Fees at Eton run to roughly $88,000 a year, placing it among the most expensive schools in the country. The College's roll call of alumni includes 20 former British prime ministers, among them Boris Johnson and David Cameron, along with actors Tom Hiddleston, Hugh Laurie, Eddie Redmayne and Damian Lewis, writers George Orwell and Ian Fleming, and adventurer Bear Grylls. Admission is known to be rigorous, with prospective pupils generally required to register years in advance and to sit entrance examinations and interviews before being offered a place.

Reports in the lead-up to George's enrollment had suggested Eton officials were taking additional precautions ahead of his arrival, with specific accommodations at the school reportedly reviewed and upgraded to meet the security requirements associated with housing a future monarch on campus. Neither Kensington Palace nor Eton College has detailed those arrangements publicly, in keeping with the family's general approach of allowing limited media access around the children's schooling while preserving their day-to-day privacy once term is underway.

For William and Kate, George's arrival at Eton also represents a milestone in balancing the demands of royal life with a desire to give their children as conventional an upbringing as possible within the constraints of their position. The couple has previously spoken about wanting their children to experience ordinary school life, even as media and public interest in George, as second in line to the throne, remains intense. School officials and royal commentators alike have suggested that whatever adjustment period lies ahead for George at Eton, from the institution's particular jargon to its long list of traditions, is one his father is uniquely positioned to help him navigate, given his own formative years spent within the same walls three decades before.

As George settles into his new routine, attention will likely turn to how the family manages the balance between his education and his public role in the years ahead, with Eton's five-year program setting the stage for the next phase of his life before any expected move to university.