Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh visited Eton College to attend the Windsor Festival’s first-ever International String Competition Final, held on Friday, October 2.
The Duchess deputised for her husband, Prince Edward, who serves as patron of the Windsor Festival but is currently undertaking a royal tour of North America.
In his absence, Sophie presented the competition prize to Emad Zolfaghari, a 21-year-old student at the Juilliard School, who became the inaugural violinist to claim the award.
The historic school, established by King Henry VI in 1440, maintains longstanding royal connections through various patronages, and it was this link, rather than any family visit, that brought the Duchess to the Berkshire campus.
Prince George pictured on his first day at Eton College
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Prince George, the 13-year-old eldest child of the Prince and Princess of Wales, was not present during his great-aunt’s visit to the school.
The young royal’s absence was most likely explained by the timing of the event, which coincided with Eton’s first “short leave” break, running from October 2 to 4, when boarding pupils are permitted to head home for a brief weekend visit.
George had only begun his time at the prestigious all-boys boarding school the previous month, with Kensington Palace having confirmed his enrolment back in June.
On September 8, both Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales accompanied their son to the school on a rainy day, where the headmaster and provost welcomed him before he settled into his dormitory and put on the traditional Eton uniform alongside his fellow first-year pupils.
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh visited Eton College to attend the Windsor Festival’s first-ever International String Competition Final, held on Friday, October 2 (stock picture)
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The decision to send George to Eton followed a path well-trodden by the Royal Family; Prince William enrolled there in 1995, studying geography, biology and history of art at A-level, while Prince Harry graduated from the same institution in 2003.
Sophie and Edward’s own son, James, Earl of Wessex, 18, has recently embarked on a new chapter in his education.
Having secured the required A-level grades over the summer, he enrolled at the Royal Agricultural University this autumn to read Rural Land & Property Management.
Both James and his elder sister, Lady Louise, 22, gained the right to adopt HRH styling upon turning 18, as grandchildren of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
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Neither, however, appears inclined to take up the distinction.
Sophie addressed the matter in an interview with The Sunday Times in 2020, explaining: “We try to bring them up with the understanding they are very likely to have to work for a living.
“Hence, we made the decision not to use HRH titles.
“They have them and can decide to use them from 18, but I think it’s highly unlikely.”