Prince George, 13, is embarking on a whole new adventure in a matter of weeks as he will commence boarding at Eton College, the same school his father, Prince William, and uncle, Prince Harry, attended years before. No doubt the teenager will have mixed emotions about the new chapter in his life as it will be his first time in full-board education; however, a break is on the horizon just weeks into his first term.
According to the term date schedule on the Eton College website, as well as half-term breaks, which are classed as 'long leave' the boys are permitted to also have 'short leave' breaks and the first one is scheduled for Friday 2 - Sunday 4 October, so Prince George will be able to return to the family home that weekend. Before that, there is something called a 'B weekend' which is where the boys have optional leave to go on a Saturday and "return by 6.15pm on Sunday". It is unknown if George will be taking advantage of this option, but the 'B weekend' is something which runs regularly throughout the calendar year.
© Corbis via Getty ImagesPrince George's own room at Eton
The young royal will be afforded his own room at Eton, and that's not because of his lineage, but because all boys at the iconic institution are granted their own private dormitories. In fact, the policy is put in place to encourage "self-discipline". The official website explains: "From the very beginning, each boy has his own study-bedroom: there are no shared rooms. Boys thus have their own private space and are required to organise themselves and to develop self-discipline in meeting tasks and deadlines." So, while some boarding schools are a chance for boys to share with their peers, George will be granted a single room, like everyone else.
© Tim Graham Photo Library via GetPrince William and Prince Harry's diverging experiences at Eton
Despite being very close in age, William and Harry had very different Eton experiences, by their own admission. William has spoken highly of his time there, explaining that he "really enjoyed being able to go about Eton as just another student," noting that it was good to not feel "like he was special" during his formative school years.
© GettyHowever, in Harry's memoir Spare, he revealed that he disliked his time at Eton, describing his arrival there as "a profound shock". He wrote: "Once or twice I'd confess to a teacher or fellow student that I wasn't merely in the wrong class but in the wrong location. I was in way, way over my head. They'd always say the same thing: 'Don't worry, you'll be all right.'"
