Prince George, second in line to the British throne, arrived for his first day at Eton College on Tuesday, following his father Prince William through the gates of one of the world's most storied — and exclusive — schools.

The 13-year-old was joined by William and his mother, Catherine, the Princess of Wales, for the arrival at the 600-year-old school in Berkshire, near Windsor Castle. Footage of the visit showed the family relaxed and smiling as they were greeted by Eton's headmaster, Simon Henderson, according to NBC News' coverage of the arrival.

Following a Family Tradition

George wore his own clothes rather than a uniform for the arrival — a dark blazer, shirt, tie and chinos — TODAY reported, before changing into Eton's traditional tailcoat uniform for classes. Both William and George's uncle, Prince Harry, attended Eton themselves, making the school a multi-generational fixture for the family despite the well-documented rift between the two brothers in recent years.

A NEW ERA FOR THE FUTURE KING

That's how royal watchers at Hello! magazine described the milestone, noting William and Kate "beamed with pride" throughout the low-key handover. George previously attended Lambrook School, a smaller preparatory school closer to the family's Windsor home, before making the move to the significantly larger and more prominent Eton campus.

The choice of Eton had been the subject of speculation for months, given the family's efforts to shield George from public scrutiny while acknowledging the school's near-mandatory status for royal heirs — a tradition stretching back generations. Eton's alumni list includes multiple British prime ministers alongside William and Harry, and the school sits close enough to Windsor Castle that King Charles will be a near neighbor during term time.

Kensington Palace has continued to request that photographers and outlets respect George's privacy at school, a request largely honored so far by British media, which limited coverage to the brief arrival photo opportunity arranged by the family.

What's next: George is expected to remain at Eton through his secondary education, following the same path as his father, with royal commentators expecting minimal further public appearances tied to his schooling barring major milestones.