Prince William's Eton nickname resurfaces as Prince George prepares to attend

A former classmate who attended Eton College with Prince William from 1995 to 2000 revealed that the future king was teased with the two‑word nickname “upstart German,” a reference to the royal family’s German ancestry. The former pupil said William blended in with other aristocratic students and was “just one of the crowd,” despite his royal status.

The anecdote has re‑emerged after Kensington Palace confirmed that Prince George will join Eton this September, following the footsteps of his father and uncle. The former student also recalled that, after Princess Diana’s 1997 death, many pupils wrote private condolence letters to William but rarely discussed the tragedy openly at school.