Prince George will follow in his father's footsteps and enrol at Eton, Kensington Palace have announced. In a short statement, the palace said: 'Kensington Palace can confirm that Prince George will attend Eton College from this September.' The Mail was the first to exclusively reveal more than four years ago that the future King's name had been put down for the £63,000-a-year boarding school, with sources saying it was the Prince and Princess of Wales' 'number one choice'. One of the benefits is that it is just a stone's throw from Windsor Castle, where the family have made their 'forever home' at Forest Lodge, on the Berkshire estate. However the couple did explore other options and have been spotted in recent years at a number of different schools around the country in their search for the best place for their eldest child to continue his studies. But earlier this month the Mail again exclusively revealed that their mind was made up after George, 12, took his Common Entrance Exams.

The prince, who has been an occasional boarder at his current school, co-educational Lambrook, near Ascot in Berkshire, in preparation for the move, will turn 13 on July 22 and will be ready to attend senior school from the autumn. His younger siblings, Princess Charlotte, 11, and eight-year-old Prince Louis, will remain at Lambrook, where they have been extremely happy. When William went to Eton, later followed by his brother, Prince Harry, it was considered something of a departure from the royal norm.

Both their father, King Charles, and grandfather, the late Duke of Edinburgh, had been sent to Gordonstoun in Scotland. And while Philip loved it, Charles was bullied mercilessly and dubbed it 'Colditz in kilts'. William's mother, Princess Diana, was particularly keen on Eton, however, as it was closer to her and the rest of the family. It proved to be the right decision and by all accounts William really enjoyed his time there. He flourished educationally, becoming a prefect and therefore a member of its elite group, 'Pop', which came with the privilege of wearing a patterned waistcoat in addition to his black tailcoat, bow tie, brogues and stiff-collared shirt.

He also enjoyed the school's sports provision and made a host of great friends, many of whom he is still close with today. He would also often walk over the bridge to Windsor to have lunch with his late grandmother at her Berkshire residence. A source previously told the Mail: 'It's the natural choice, always has been. Living at Windsor is very much a long-term decision for the Waleses.'

On its website Eton describes itself as a 'modern, forward-thinking school that embraces innovation and new opportunities to provide an outstanding, progressive and well-rounded education'. It is in the top ten of boarding schools in the country, one of the most influential and high-achieving. George's estranged uncle, Prince Harry, also went to Eton but his time there was less happy. In his memoir, the prince bemoaned the fact that he struggled to fit in as a pupil at Eton and felt singled out because of his heritage, while his elder brother was unwelcoming.

He also wrote about taking drugs including cannabis while he was a pupil. George was first given a tour of Eton in 2023 with his parents, and is understood to have visited several times since. The school offers only termly boarding but pupils largely go home every two or three weeks through either 'short leave' - occasional weekends away - or school holidays. Parents can also take their children out on Sunday afternoons. All boys have their own room from the start of their time at Eton in small boarding houses with around 55 boys. They are cared for by a dedicated team of house staff led by the 'House Master and Dame'.