Prince George Turns 13, Prepares to Enter Eton Following Prince William's Footsteps

JAKARTA - Prince George turned 13 on Wednesday, July 22. His latest birthday portrait marks the preparations for boarding school at Eton and a wider involvement in royal activities.

People quoted Thursday, July 23, said the royal family released a photo of George wearing a dark blue suit and a white shirt. His appearance looks similar to his father, Prince William, when he was preparing to enter Eton College in 1995.

The portrait was taken by photographer Matt Porteous at Kensington Palace in June, following the Trooping the Colour event.

Unlike the previous birthday photos which featured polo shirts, sweaters, or football uniforms, George this time appeared more formal. The photo was also different from the birthday portraits of his younger siblings, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, which were made more relaxed.

George will start studying at Eton College in the fall. He follows in the footsteps of his father, Prince William, and his uncle, Prince Harry, who have both attended the exclusive boys' boarding school.

Kensington Palace confirmed Eton's choice on June 16. Previously, some royal observers predicted that William and Kate Middleton would choose a co-ed school so that George could continue to study with his two younger siblings.

"Eton was a much-needed refuge for William," royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith told People.

According to Bedell, the school will give George a strong academic education to carry out his role in the future.

Sources close to the family said George did want to follow in his father's footsteps.

Eton was founded by King Henry VI in 1440. The cost of education is around 80,000 US dollars per year. The school has educated 20 British prime ministers and a number of members of the royal family.

With such costs, Eton remains one of the symbols of British elite education. Bedell Smith said the school now has a more diverse student body than it did in William's time.

He assessed that William and Kate chose Eton because of its academic quality and the way the school prepares students to take leadership roles.

Eton is also close to the Wales family home. The school is about 24 kilometers from Forest Lodge in the Windsor area.

George will live in the dormitory on school days, but can go home on certain weekends. William and Kate can also attend sports matches, performances, and school activities.

People also said that George had started to be more involved in royal activities that were specifically chosen by William and Kate.

In May, George accompanied his parents at a tea party at Buckingham Palace held by King Charles and Queen Camilla for World War II veterans and generations.

It was the first time George had attended such an official event. He was seen following his parents' way of greeting guests and shaking hands with a number of veterans.

A palace source said William and Kate are trying to strike a balance between protecting George's childhood and introducing him slowly to his duties as a future king.

"He got firsthand experience as a member of the royal family and a future king. At the same time, he also lived the life of an ordinary boy," the source said.