This marks the very first time Kate has spoken publicly about George living away from home. While 11-year-old Princess Charlotte and 8-year-old Prince Louis are still day students at nearby Lambrook School, George took a major leap this past September by enrolling at Eton College – the iconic, centuries-old boarding school his father, Prince William, also attended.

Back on September 8, William and Kate walked alongside George as he arrived on campus for his first day, greeting the school’s leadership before the young prince officially suited up in Eton’s signature tailcoat uniform.

Even though he’s living on campus full-time now, Eton isn’t far from the family’s home at Windsor, making quick visits relatively easy. The school calendar includes brief weekend breaks – known in Eton parlance as “exeats” – where students can head home from Friday afternoon through Sunday evening, meaning George has likely dropped by a couple of times already.

Education experts point out that the first half of the term at Eton is intentionally intense, packed with team-building activities designed to help the new batch of first-year boys build tight-knit bonds with their housemates. But for parents, that initial adjustment period is rarely easy. Letting go is a huge emotional shift, and even with royal schedules, those secondary school years tend to slip by fast.(Instagram)