The insider claimed, “There was also a considerable amount of anxiety behind the scenes because George’s circumstances are unlike those of almost any other child. William and Kate have always been determined to give him as grounded and normal an upbringing as possible while recognizing that he is growing up under extraordinary scrutiny and with enormous expectations on his shoulders.
“Finding a school that could offer academic excellence, security, privacy, and the opportunity to develop his own independence was incredibly important to them.
“They didn’t want to choose a school simply because tradition pointed them in that direction. They wanted to feel confident they had explored every avenue and made the decision that was genuinely best for George as an individual.”
Eton emerged as the frontrunner as early as the beginning of the current school year, sources say.
Marlborough College reportedly impressed both William and Kate during their visits, but Eton’s location near the family’s Windsor home, combined with William’s own positive experiences there during the 1990s, proved influential.
The choice also reflects the couple’s wider approach to raising their children. Since George’s birth, William and Kate have sought to balance royal tradition with a modern family life that places significant emphasis on privacy, stability, and close family relationships.