Royal family 8 September: Prince George's Eton arrival, Prince William and Kate beam with pride as royal begins new era

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And welcome to a very special edition of HELLO!'s live blog, as Prince George is set to begin at Eton College today. 

George, 13, whose last major public appearance was at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow with his family, is following in the footsteps of his father the Prince of Wales and uncle the Duke of Sussex, who both attended the public school.

The young prince previously attended Lambrook School, the private prep school in Berkshire, also attended by his siblings Princess Charlotte, 11, and eight-year-old Prince Louis.

It comes amid a very busy royal backdrop and follows a letter sent by the Lord Chamberlain on behalf of King Charles on Monday, which saw him confirm Prince Harry and Meghan's status as non-working royals, despite their return to the UK. 

Meanwhile, Princess Anne will attend the Margaret Haes Riding Centre Open Day in Greater Manchester, while Duchess Sophie will be visiting Cumbria. 

8 September also marks four years since the late Queen Elizabeth II passed away at Balmoral Castle, at the age of 96. 

Preparations are also continuing for King Harald of Norway's funeral on Wednesday, which will be attended by Prince William and Princess Anne. King Frederik and Queen Mary's state visit to Belgium was scheduled to begin on Tuesday, but it's been postponed due to the funeral. 

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On Monday, King Charles reaffirmed Harry and Meghan's status as non-working royals following their return to the UK. 

In a "letter of guidance" to senior stakeholders made public on Monday and sent on behalf of the monarch, the Lord Chamberlain stated there is "no change" to the Sussexes' status, and their Royal Highness titles should not be used. 

Lord Benyon, a top Palace official, added that Harry and Meghan remain private citizens following their move back to Britain on 26 August with their children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five. 

The letter has been shared with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. 

Later on Monday, Prince Harry was pictured for the first time since his arrival in the UK at London-based film and TV studios, Tower Bridge Studios. 

And Meghan shared a new carefree photo on her As Ever Instagram account, cuddling up to her black labrador, Pula. She referred to "Long Weekend plans", a nod to the bank holiday in the US, with the picture thought to have been taken back in Montecito, California. 

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Prince George is starting at Eton College today, where he will spend his next five years. 

Old Etonian Tom Sykes has told HELLO! what George can really expect from his time at Prince William's old school...

Tom started at the hallowed institution in 1987 and was expelled in 1990 - you can read our VIP article to find out why!

In an extract from his full piece, Tom writes: "What makes Eton unique is that its buildings are dotted right throughout the town. You’re constantly wandering the streets alongside tourists and locals. 

"You can pop into the shops on the High Street for a snack, browse the stationery store, or cross the bridge into Windsor on a Wednesday afternoon to grab a McDonald’s burger. It gives a young royal a tangible connection to ordinary, everyday life."

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Thinking about George's first day at Eton brings back all the memories of his first days at school. 

In 2017, George was just four when he started at St Thomas's Battersea, with his proud dad Prince William by his side. 

Prince George was greeted on his first day by Head of Lower School Helen Haslem, who made a point of shaking the little boy's hand – a gesture that is encouraged at Thomas's. 

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George joined in reception and left the school in 2022 when the family left London. He then attended Lambrook School with younger siblings Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. 

Just look how sweet he is in these throwback pictures! Time really does fly...

Prince George has arrived at Eton College alongside his proud parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales. 

The young royal, 13, was dressed in his own clothes: a smart dark blazer, shirt, tie and chinos. 

He emerged from the famous arch beneath Lupton's Tower, the 16th century gatehouse clock tower. 

They shook hands with Simon Henderson, the headmaster, and Sir Nicholas Coleridge, the school's Provost and chair of the governing body. 

Simon told George: "Welcome. Good luck. Enjoy it."

George has been welcomed to Eton with a brief photocall, but William and Kate hope that his education will take place away from the public eye. 

The Prince of Wales enjoyed a private time studying at Eton, without press intrusion. 

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We now have the very first pictures of Prince George's arrival at Eton College. 

The Princess of Wales sheltered under an umbrella as they walked into the institution's famous grounds. 

In one picture, the Prince of Wales made his son laugh as he struggled with the umbrella and accidentally obscured them all from view.

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William, in a matching outfit to his son, carried a closed umbrella while Kate, wearing a green dress, held one aloft against the seasonal back-to-school drizzle. 

After the welcome, George William and Kate were shown into the fourth form passage in the original school building, which is understood to house the world’s oldest classroom. 

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The Princess of Wales looked so glamorous today as she dropped off George for his first day at school. 

Kate, 44, was every inch the proud mum as she stood next to her grown-up son beneath an umbrella to meet with Eton's head master, Simon Henderson, and Sir Nicholas Coleridge, the school’s Provost.

The Princess looked very stylish in a bottle green dress from Emilia Wickstead, which she previously wore in 2023 for a meeting with Crown Princess Victoria. 

She braved the rain in a flattering green midi dress that cinched at the waist.

The long-sleeved dress featured a rounded neckline and fell to below the knee in an A-line silhouette with a floaty skirt that swished as she walked.

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Prince George was seen chatting to his parents as he received his official welcome to Eton College on Tuesday. 

While we don't know exactly what they were talking about, it's likely he was receiving some last-minute reassurance for his big day. 

As they walked through a doorway into one of the oldest parts of Eton, Kate was seen putting her hand on her son’s back.

Eton is an all-boys boarding school, so it's expected that George will now be leaving the family home during term-time. 

Prince William previously revealed on his Heart Radio appearance that George had already begun boarding at the end of his time at Lambrook, presumably to prepare him for life at Eton. 

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This is Eton, the famous school in Windsor where Prince George will spend the next five years, away from press coverage. 

Beyond academic learning and sporting activities, Eton has a reputation for instilling self-reliance and leadership as students have to fulfil many non-academic tasks themselves.

Admission is rigorous, with the boys going through stringent tests and parents pay an annual fee of £63,298 for a school whose name is likely to be more influential than the academic qualifications gained by pupils.

William was an Eton pupil for five years beginning in 1995 and served as a house captain and prefect before leaving to study at St Andrews University, while Harry joined three years after his brother.

Eton’s roll call of famous past students includes actors Tom Hiddleston, Hugh Laurie and Eddie Redmayne, a large number of prime ministers including Lord David Cameron, writers George Orwell and Ian Fleming, and adventurer Bear Grylls.

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The Waleses braved rain today as they arrived for George's first day at Eton.

William appeared to make a joke about the weather, with Sir Nicholas replying: "Typical." William was heard to say. "If it rains, it rains for ages."

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He also appeared to make George laugh as he struggled with the umbrella.

George and his parents arrived in School Yard, the Berkshire institution’s historic quadrangle overlooked by Lupton’s Tower, a Tudor landmark, and at its centre was a statue of King Henry VI, who founded Eton in 1440.

Heavy rain had been falling all morning and only Kate sheltered under an umbrella after William's went inside-out on arrival. 

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Prince George was wearing his own clothes as he arrived at Eton on Tuesday. 

However, he is expected to change into the school's official uniform later on. 

George arrived wearing dark trousers, a jacket, shirt and tie, and is expected to change into "school dress", a uniform standardised in the 1960s of a black tailcoat, waistcoat and pinstriped trousers, with a stiff white collar.

William and Harry were allowed to complete their time at Eton without media intrusion, and William and Kate will be hoping George receives the same courtesy.

Other new intakes arrived later in the morning after the prince and his parents, and some will have brought their possessions in traditional boarding school trunks.

George turned 13 in July and has spent part of the summer in Scotland with his family, enjoying a break from studies after leaving Lambrook School, a private prep school in Berkshire he attended with siblings Princess Charlotte, 11, and eight-year-old Prince Louis.

Prince George has been pictured in his new school uniform for the first time as he begins a new era at Eton College.

The future King, 13, beamed in the photo, shared on Tuesday to mark his first day at the prestigious £63,298-a-year school in Windsor, after arriving with his proud parents, Prince William and Kate. 

As noted by HELLO!'s Royal Editor, Emily Nash, the young royal wore Eton's very traditional uniform, including a tilcoat, winged collars and white tie. 

George is following in the footsteps of his father, Prince William, who began his own time at the school 31 years ago.

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Want to hear more from HELLO! and those who know the Princess of Wales best?

HELLO! is hosting an exclusive event featuring author Ingrid Seward, who has written a new book called Catherine & Diana.

We are hosting an intimate event – a live recording of A Right Royal Podcast – on Wednesday 23 September at Quaglino's – and you're invited! You'll have early access to Ingrid's book and be the first to hear an extract from it, plus have the chance to buy a signed copy, before it officially hits shelves later that week. 

Or, if you want to get your hands on a very heavily discounted ticket, sign up to become a HELLO! VIP member. Scroll down for more details below!

Thank you all for joining me this morning for Prince George's arrival at Eton College!

The day is far from over, though, and we're still expecting more pictures, more news, and more expert insight from our royal editor, Emily Nash. 

I'm now handing over to the lovely Isabelle, who will take things from here!

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If you would like all the details from inside Prince George's first day at Eton College, then read our in-depth analysis by HELLO!'s Royal Editor, Emily Nash, here.

With Prince George's photographs at Eton this afternoon have us seeing double. 

Exactly 26 years apart, Prince William and Prince George strike almost the exact same pose while wearing their uniform. Different moments, same setting - and the resemblance is uncanny.

Upon arriving with his royal parents, George was greeted by Eton’s head master, Simon Henderson, who told the future King: "Welcome, good luck, enjoy it."

Kate was ever the doting mother during the interaction, and placed a hand on his back during the greetings with senior staff

As well as its royal alumnae, Eton’s roll call of famous past students includes actors Tom Hiddleston, Hugh Laurie and Eddie Redmayne, a large number of prime ministers including Lord David Cameron, writers George Orwell and Ian Fleming, and adventurer Bear Grylls.

George arrived wearing dark trousers, a jacket, shirt and tie, but changed into "school dress", a uniform standardised in the 1960s of a black tailcoat, waistcoat and pinstriped trousers, with a stiff white collar.

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With hours to go before heads of state and royal houses from around the world bid farewell with full honours to King Harald, who died on August 28 at the age of 89, Queen Sonja has appeared in a moving new image.

The photograph, shared by the Norwegian Royal Family, demonstrates the depth of the couple's enduring 58 year-love story.

The images show Queen Sonja, dressed in mourning attire, standing before the body of her husband, which lies in state in the chapel of rest set up in the Royal Palace in Oslo.

The grieving Queen appears serene, with her hands clasped and wearing a large Maltese cross brooch that belonged to Queen Maud of Norway. The jewel first belonged to Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdom, Maud's mother, and from there passed to the Scandinavian Royal Family.

The brooch consists of a diamond band and four detachable crosses, which Sonja has worn both on the tiara and individually as a brooch. Queen Sonja had already worn one of these crosses in January 1991 when her husband, King Harald, went to Parliament to be sworn in as the new king after the death of Olav V. 

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Meghan Markle has been sighted for the first time since returning to the UK, according to multiple reports. 

The Duchess of Sussex, 45, was spotted at Soho Farmhouse in the Cotswolds last Friday, according to Daily Beast editor-at-large Tom Sykes and reports in The Guardian. 

Meghan was said to have arrived at the Comfy Farm lounge before 9 am at the retreat in North Oxfordshire, which is one of the potential areas Meghan and Harry could have set up home. 

Members of Soho Farmhouse said Meghan had an early morning coffee and was introduced to senior staff members by name and with "considerable fanfare", Tom Sykes reported. 

Mother-of-two Meghan has been keeping a low profile since her return to the UK with Harry, Prince Archie, and Princess Lilibet almost two weeks ago, on 26 August. 

Meghan has yet to be publicly photographed, although the Duke resurfaced on Monday at Tower Bridge Studios, a recording and filming location in London. 

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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were left "surprised" by a public letter confirming their status as non-working royals, a spokesperson for the couple has said. 

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were "a little surprised not to have been told about this in advance", their representative said in a statement on Tuesday. 

The letter on Monday was sent by the Lord Chamberlain, a senior palace official, on behalf of King Charles, confirming the couple are not working royals, will not use the titles of "His and Her Royal Highness", and will remain "private citizens". 

It was sent to Prince Harry's team before it was made public on Monday afternoon, and was addressed to government departments, military officials, and Lord Lieutenants.

However, it's understood that the couple "did not have time to clarify" the guidance. 

Royal aide Lord Benyon, whose office is responsible for organising the King’s ceremonial and public-facing events, said any operational security issues should be directed to the relevant police authorities. 

It came nearly two weeks after Prince Harry and Meghan's return to Britain for an "extended stay" after stepping down as working royals in 2020 and moving to Montecito in California. 

See the full timeline of events here.

Prince George, 13, started a brand-new chapter today, arriving at Eton College with a cohort of boys to commence five years of education there. The prestigious institution is a boarding school, meaning George will sleep there, moving out of his family home in Windsor. Eton has 25 different houses where the boys live, including one special house, but here's why the royal teen won't be granted access to that one.

There will be around 55 boys per house, but there's one particular house called "College" that's dedicated to "the King's scholars" and these are the top academic pupils who have sat an extra test to be granted this privilege. Instead, George will be an "Oppidan" which means a standard pupil, staying in one of the other 24 houses. 

Who will decide where Prince George stays at Eton?

While George's family could request a specific house for traditional or security reasons, it is likely that the team at Eton will allocate George's room, as they do for the rest of the students. This is a rigorous process and includes carefully selecting students to create a balanced and harmonious house. 

What are the Eton 'houses' like?

"Each House has its own character to reflect the identities of the boys and staff who live there," the website explains. Evans's is the oldest ""Oppidan" house so comes with a lot of history, meanwhile other houses are named after notable Eton figures. Keate house was built in 1788 and named after Dr. John Keate, Eton’s notoriously stern 19th-century Head Master. Then there's Angelo's named in honor of Sophie Angelo, a legendary "Dame" who managed the property for 40 years. This property dates back to circa 1790.

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The Prince of Wales, the future King, is seen in public to be poised, professional and charming, but it turns out that he can lose his cool, just like the rest of us. In Prince Harry's memoir Spare, he detailed an alleged physical altercation with his brother, and retelling it he revealed that his brother "stepped towards me, swearing". 

It may be surprising to hear that William let loose with his curses, given the fact that he is so well spoken in public. The other details were equally shocking. Harry penned: "He stepped towards me, swearing. To that point I’d been feeling uncomfortable, but now I felt a bit scared. I stood, brushed past him, went out to the kitchen, to the sink. He was right on my heels, berating me, shouting.

"I poured a glass of water for myself, and one for him as well. I handed it to him. I don’t think he took a sip. 'Willy, I can’t speak to you when you’re like this'.He set down the water, called me another name, then came at me. It all happened so fast. So very fast. He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor. I landed on the dogs’ bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me. I lay there for a moment,dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out."

Do royals swear? 

The simple answer is yes. Although most of them don't use those words in public, it's likely they do in the comfort of their own homes. There was one occasion though, when the late Prince Phillip dropped an expletive. During a 2015 Battle of Britain anniversary photocall at the RAF Club, the royal began impatient with the photographer and dropped the F bomb when asking him to take the picture swiftly. 

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Queen Camilla's Scottish wardrobe is a masterclass in understated glamour, and her two latest appearances are proof of that. 

The King and Queen spent their weekend in Balmoral attending the annual Braemar Highland Gathering and a Sunday church service near their royal residence. Braving the autumnal weather in the Scottish Highlands, Queen Camilla bundled up in long sleeves and tartan. 

While her outfits were structured and formal with rich colours mirroring the changing seasons, the royal upped the glamour of her look with brilliant jewellery and diamonds – including a £30,000 accessory she wore for both her weekend outings.

Camilla stepped out in Braemar on 5 September in a look reflecting her distinct modest style with Scottish influences. The royal wore an olive green fitted couture jacket by Mr Roy Limited which buttoned up the front and cinched at the waist. She paired the outerwear with a kilt, matching her husband who also wore the traditional garment, and a feathered hat. 

Pinned to the collar of Camilla's jacket was her Tudor Crown Brooch, which is shaped like a crown and set in diamonds with the addition of a ruby, a sapphire, and an emerald at the base. The eye-catching accessory is thought to be valued at $40,000 (approximately £30,000) and has been worn by the royal on numerous occasions dating back to 2023.

Camilla was spotted wearing the brooch again the next day as she arrived for a Sunday church service at Crathie Kirk. She complemented the brooch with her favourite floral diamond and pearl drop earrings. While she doesn't have her ears pierced, the royal often wears clip-on earrings for public appearances.

On both occasions over the weekend, she wore bracelets from luxury jeweller Van Cleef & Arpels, and a sentimental gold pendant necklace with a central ruby that is engraved with the initials of her five grandchildren.

Yesterday, the Lord Chamberlain issued a letter on King Charles’s behalf clarifying Prince Harry and Meghan’s roles. Today, HELLO!’s Jack Malvern explains exactly what it means, why it was shared with the media and how the Sussexes feel about it.

That's all we have for you today, folks! But we'll keep you updated on all the must-know details abut the royals for the rest of the week, so be sure to stay up to date over on tomorrow's blog. Until then.

Cheers!