Education plays a crucial role in preparing young royals for the future.
Despite their titles and public responsibilities, princes and princesses spend much of their childhood and teenage years in the classroom.
From the United Kingdom to Spain, the next generation of royal heirs are pursuing their studies while gradually preparing for their future roles on the world stage.
PRINCE GEORGE OF WALES
Prince George recently marked a major milestone as he officially began his studies at Eton College, one of the United Kingdom's most prestigious schools.
The 13-year-old royal arrived for his first day at the all-boys boarding school on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, accompanied by his parents, Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales.
Prince George’s siblings, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, were absent from the milestone occasion.
The family was welcomed by Eton headmaster Simon Henderson and the school's provost, Sir Nicholas Coleridge, during an official greeting at the school grounds.
While George was initially seen wearing casual clothes during his arrival at the school, official portraits released shortly afterward showed the young royal in Eton College's iconic uniform for the first time.
The photos, taken by royal photographer Matt Porteous, were shared by Kensington Palace through the official Instagram account of the Prince and Princess of Wales, @princeandprincessofwales.
The post was simply captioned: "George's first day at Eton."
Following in his father's footsteps, George will wear Eton's traditional uniform, which consists of a black tailcoat, waistcoat, pin-striped trousers, and a stiff white collar.
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The occasion echoed Prince William’s own first day at Eton in September 1995, when he arrived with Princess Diana and the then-Prince Charles. Prince Harry, who was 10 at the time, also joined the family for the milestone.
According to People.com, George had long hoped to attend Eton and follow in the footsteps of his father, who studied there from 1995 to 2000.
Before enrolling at Eton, George attended several schools throughout his childhood.
He began his education at Westacre Montessori School in Norfolk in January 2016 at the age of two and a half. He later moved to Thomas's Battersea in London in September 2017 before transferring to Lambrook School in Berkshire in 2022 following the Wales family's move to Windsor.
At Lambrook, George studied alongside his younger siblings, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, and took part in various sports, music, and extracurricular activities. He completed his studies there in the summer of 2026.
PRINCESS LEONOR OF SPAIN
Princess Leonor of Spain also began a new chapter in her education after starting a four-year Political Science degree at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid's Getafe campus on Monday, September 7, 2026.
The 20-year-old heir to the Spanish throne entered university following three years of military training with the Spanish Army, Navy, and Air Force.
As the eldest daughter of King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, Leonor is next in line to the Spanish throne and is expected to one day become queen.
The princess was photographed arriving on campus alongside thousands of other students for her first day of classes. Dressed in a white top, denim jeans, and carrying a black shoulder bag, Leonor blended in with her fellow students as she made her way to class.
The Spanish Royal Household also shared photos and video clips from her first day through its official Instagram account. In its post, the palace revealed that Leonor began her studies alongside around 3,000 students at the Getafe campus.
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According to the royal household, the future queen's first day included classes in Theory of Law, Research Methodology in Social Sciences, and Fundamentals of Political Science.
She also attended a welcome session led by Gema García Albacete, director of the degree program.
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