Eton College has reportedly installed “no photography” signs weeks before Prince George is expected to begin his studies at the prestigious school.
The development comes as Prince William and Princess Catherine continue their efforts to protect their children from excessive public attention.
Photographs taken outside the Berkshire institution show newly erected notices warning visitors against capturing images of pupils. The signs are believed to be part of broader safeguarding measures covering every student, rather than a policy introduced exclusively for George.
Eton regularly educates the children of prominent families, and the restrictions are intended to allow all pupils to attend school without unwanted attention from the media or members of the public.
The move is likely to carry particular significance when George, the eldest child of the Prince and Princess of Wales, reportedly walks through Eton’s gates this September.
The 13-year-old is expected to follow in the footsteps of his father, Prince William, and his uncle, Prince Harry, by attending the elite boarding school. His arrival will come 31 years after William began his own education there.
George will face a different challenge from the one experienced by his father and uncle. While William and Harry primarily had to contend with professional photographers, today almost every student carries a smartphone capable of instantly recording and sharing photographs or videos.
A single image uploaded to social media could be stripped of its context and spread widely, potentially causing considerable distress to a teenager navigating school life under intense public scrutiny.
William and Catherine have consistently tried to give their three children—George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis—as much privacy as possible. The young royals generally appear in public only at carefully selected family and royal engagements.
Eton’s accommodation arrangements could provide George with an additional degree of personal space. Rather than sleeping in shared dormitories, every pupil is allocated an individual study-bedroom.
According to the school’s website, the arrangement gives each boy “his own private space” while encouraging pupils “to organise themselves and to develop self-discipline in meeting tasks and deadlines.”
George is also expected to receive round-the-clock police protection during his time at the school.
A privacy arrangement similar to the “Gentlemen’s Agreement” established when William attended Eton could also be considered. Under that understanding, the media received access to occasional organised photo opportunities in exchange for allowing the prince to continue his education without constant interference.
Royal correspondent Simon Vigar previously suggested to GB News that a comparable agreement could be introduced for George as he begins the next chapter of his education.
