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Prince George has posed for a portrait in his new school uniform after arriving for his first day at Eton College accompanied by his proud parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales.
He walked in as both a king-in-waiting and a nervous 13-year-old about to embark on a thrilling new chapter of his life.
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He → see → life
The second in line to the throne wore a shirt and tie, a dark blazer and chinos with brown suede shoes.
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second → wear → shoes
He and his parents strode briskly through Eton College's historic quadrangle – known to pupils as School Yard – in the heavy rain.
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He → stride → rain
The family emerged from the arch beneath Lupton's Tower, the 16th-century gatehouse clock tower, and walked across the cobbled Yard.
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family → emerge → Yard
The Waleses paused level with a bronze statue of Henry VI, the school's founder, which sits in the centre of the quadrangle, to shake hands with Simon Henderson, the headmaster of Eton College, and Sir Nicholas Coleridge, the school's provost, who serves as the chair of the governing body.
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who → pause → body
Prince William was smartly dressed in a dark suit, while Catherine wore an elegant green flowing dress and heels and carried a large umbrella.
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Catherine → dress → umbrella
William was the first to shake hands with the headmaster, then George, as the princess slightly hung back.
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princess → shake → headmaster
A portrait of Prince George in his uniform as he begins his first day at Eton College this morning
George will be boarding at the prestigious school close to his Windsor home
George smiles along with his mother the Princess of Wales as he arrived this morning
Prince George arrives with parents Prince William and Catherine for his first day at Eton today
Prince William shakes hands with provost Sir Nicholas Coleridge, left, and headmaster Simon Henderson on Prince George's first day of school
The trio strode through Eton College's historic School Yard quadrangle in the heavy rain
William is greeted by Sir Nicholas, the school's provost and governing body chair
'George welcome, good luck, enjoy,' Mr Henderson smiled.
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Henderson → begin → Nicholas
He then shook hands with Catherine before the provost introduced himself and they exchanged a few pleasantries.
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they → shake → pleasantries
While there were clearly nerves on both sides, there were also smiles all round – although the heavy rain drowned out the sound of their conversation.
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rain → be → conversation
Catherine gazed at her eldest son proudly before Mr Henderson invited the family to get out of the rain.
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Henderson → gaze → rain
The princess was seen placing a protective arm on her son's back as the door was shut behind them.
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door → see → them
The Yard is the oldest part of the school alongside College Chapel, where pupils attend services three times a week.
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pupils → attend → services
After the welcome, George, William and Catherine 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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which → show → classroom
Like other families, the couple will help George settle into his new bedroom.
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George → help → bedroom
Pupils from other years will return to Eton when the school starts tomorrow.
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school → return → Eton
Following the brief photocall and the picture release, it is William and Catherine's fervent wish that George's education will take place away from public view.
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education → follow → view
Signs have been posted around Windsor warning the public not to photograph the pupils when they are moving around the sprawling campus of school buildings between lessons.
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they → post → lessons
Kensington Palace announced in June that their eldest child would be attending the Windsor boarding school where fees cost more than £65,000 per year.
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fees → announce → year
William struggles to close his umbrella as he and Catherine accompany George to Eton today
Catherine and William laugh with George, the second in line to the thone, as they arrive
Prince George arrives with parents Prince William and Catherine for his first day at Eton today
All new pupils arrive in their own clothes before changing into Eton's distinctive and historic uniform including black tailcoat, waistcoat and white tunic shirt.
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pupils → struggle → tailcoat
Prince William on his way to his first day at Eton School in 1995
William poses for a photo in 2000 as a member of Pop, Eton's group of 21 elected prefects, against a school pillar, as his own son George did today 26 years later
Prince Harry sets off for his first day at Eton in 1998.
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Harry → pose → 1998
He attended the school until 2003
It seems hard to believe that the self-assured young man in front of us was, only a few years ago, being introduced to the world by William and Catherine on the steps of the Lindo Wing at St Mary's Hospital, Paddington – or pictured tousle-haired, his back-pack almost as big as him, on his first day at nursery.
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pack → attend → nursery
The photocall had been arranged for 11am, half an hour or so before the rest of his fellow 'F Blockers' – Eton shorthand for Year 9 students – arrived.
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rest → arrange → students
It is the only time during the next five years George is likely to get any special treatment, and the decision was more about protecting the privacy of the other students.
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decision → get → students
All new pupils arrive in their own clothes before changing into Eton's distinctive and historic uniform including black tailcoat, waistcoat and white tunic shirt.
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pupils → arrive → tailcoat
Kensington Palace is set to release a photograph of that separately.
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Palace → set → that
The prince and princess have made clear how grateful they are for the way the media and public have allowed all their three children to grow up and enjoy their education away from the spotlight, in return for regular pictorial updates and occasional public appearances, and hope this will continue for George as he moves through his senior school years.
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he → make → years
Henry VI established the school in 1440, naming it 'Kynge's College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore'.
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VI → establish → Windesore
Alongside fee-paying students, provision was made for 70 'King's scholars' to receive free lodging and tuition.
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scholars → pay → lodging
The tradition continues today with the school offering bursaries to pupils from less well-off backgrounds.
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school → continue → backgrounds
The young prince's arrival at the exclusive public school varied markedly from his father's first day on September 6, 1995.
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arrival → vary → September
Then, William, sporting a grey tweed jacket over matching smart trousers and a navy patterned tie, was photographed arriving at his boarding house in front of a large group of the world's media and signing the register.
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William → sport → register
Prince George starts his first day of school at Thomas's Battersea in London in September 2017
He was accompanied by his parents Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales, who had by then been separated for three years, along with his younger brother, Prince Harry.
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who → start → brother
Only a small royal photographer rota captured such an historic moment in the now heir to the throne's life.
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photographer → capture → life
Times change and, as royal aides now argue, it's stressful enough joining a new school without doing it under the glare of hundreds of cameras.
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it → change → cameras
Eton was always the front-runner for William and Catherine when it came to choosing a senior school for their eldest child, but by no means a done deal.
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it → come → means
The couple have been spotted checking out a number of boarding schools across the county, including Oundle in Northamptonshire and the princess's own alma mater, Marlborough – although sources have indicated that the latter has always been a more likely choice for their daughter, Princess Charlotte.
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latter → spot → daughter
What swung it was Eton's proximity to the family's 'forever home' at Windsor, Forest Lodge; the fact that the college has long experience of dealing with the complexities around high-profile students; and, of course, George's own preference.
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college → swing → course
He is likely to be joined by a number of friends from Lambrook, the co-educational prep school in Berkshire he has attended with his siblings in recent years.
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he → join → years
It also helps that William has genuinely fond memories of his own time there.
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William → help → time
…and 22 more, not listed.
