Prince William is sending his son, Prince George, to Eton College, placing the future king at one of Britain’s most famous schools — and one that has faced serious scrutiny over sexual assault cases and safeguarding failures involving former staff.
Kensington Palace confirmed to CNN that George, 12, will begin at Eton in September. The move follows royal tradition: Prince William enrolled there in 1995, and Prince Harry followed in 1998. The school, located near Windsor, educates boys ages 13 to 18 and charges £63,298.80 a year — about $84,900.
The decision is also putting renewed attention on Eton's reputation, which has been complicated by criminal cases involving former staff. In January 2026, former Russian teacher Jacob Leland was sentenced to three years and three months in prison after being convicted of sexually assaulting a teenage pupil in 2012. Eton headmaster Simon Henderson said he was “appalled” and called the abuse an “egregious breach of trust.”
That case followed another major conviction. In 2020, former geography teacher Matthew Mowbray was jailed for five years after being convicted of multiple sexual offenses involving pupils during his decades at the school. Prosecutors said he entered students’ bedrooms at night under the guise of academic mentoring.
Eton has also been named in broader conversations about elite-school culture in Britain. The Everyone’s Invited movement, which gathered anonymous testimonies about sexual harassment and assault, placed several prestigious schools under public pressure in 2021 over allegations of a wider “rape culture” among students.
For Prince William, the Eton decision came during a period of broader scrutiny of royal institutions and accountability. His Earthshot Prize charity was recently reported to the U.K.’s Charity Commission by anti-monarchy group Republic over its relationship with DP World chairman Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, who was referenced in Jeffrey Epstein-related documents. The Charity Commission said it was “assessing this information.”
Eton’s defenders often point to its academic prestige and alumni network. The school has educated 20 British prime ministers, including Boris Johnson and David Cameron, as well as actors Eddie Redmayne and Tom Hiddleston.
In his memoir, Princess Diana’s brother, Charles Spencer, has also said Eton was far happier than his abusive prep school experience, though he has criticized British boarding school culture more broadly, arguing that it can damage boys emotionally.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, confidential help is available through RAINN at 800-656-HOPE (4673) or at RAINN.org.
