Prince George Home From Eton for the Long Leave Break

Prince George has swapped his Eton College boarding house for the family home for a break of just over two weeks. The 13-year-old, eldest child of Prince William and Princess Catherine, returned to Forest Lodge in Great Windsor Park on Friday 23 October, according to Hello! magazine.

Eton calls this break "long leave". Its official term dates list the Michaelmas 2026 Long Leave as running from Friday 23 October to Sunday 8 November, according to the school's term dates. Pupils return on 8 November, which makes it 16 days at home.

George started at Eton, in Windsor, on 8 September. He arrived for his first day with his parents, and he had been living away from home for six weeks before this break. Boarding means living at the school during term rather than commuting in each day.

Eton's calendar also includes shorter breaks. Boys had an optional "B weekend" leave at the end of September, and a "Short leave" weekend from 2 to 4 October. This half-term break was George's first long one since he started.

His younger siblings are on a break too. Princess Charlotte, 11, and Prince Louis, 8, are on two weeks of half term from Lambrook School, so their holiday overlaps with his. When the family dropped George off in September, People reported that Charlotte and Louis did not join them for the first day.

Princess Catherine has spoken about missing her eldest son now that he is at boarding school. Hello! magazine reported her comments on 22 October, a day before George's return home.

For most families, a school break is a simple matter of packed bags and a car journey.