Prince Harry has opened up about the challenges he faced during his time at Eton, shedding light on the difficult relationship he had with his older brother, Prince William, while navigating the pressures of the prestigious school.
In contrast to Harry, who has often described his school years as difficult, Prince William reportedly thrived at Eton, excelling socially and academically.
“Pretend We Don’t Know Each Other”
In a 2023 interview with Anderson Cooper on 60 Minutes, Harry shared a painful memory from his first days at Eton. He recalled that upon arriving at the school, William told him to act as if they didn’t know each other.
“At the time, it hurt,” Harry admitted. “I couldn’t make sense of it. I was like, ‘What do you mean? We’re now at the same school.’”
Although it was a difficult moment for Harry, he later came to understand that this was a typical behavior for older siblings trying to establish their independence. However, he noted that he took it personally at the time.
Struggling to Fit In
Harry also spoke about his struggles to fit in at Eton, explaining that he never felt completely comfortable in one group. In his memoir Spare, he revealed that he felt torn between different social circles, unsure where he belonged.
“Sport, I decided, would be my thing at Eton,” he wrote, explaining how he gravitated toward athletic groups. He described the school’s social structure, with “dry bobs” focused on land-based sports like rugby and football, and “wet bobs” focusing on rowing or swimming.
Harry said, “I was a dry who occasionally got wet. I played every dry sport, though rugby captured my heart.”
Using Rugby as an Outlet
For Harry, rugby became a way to channel his emotions. He admitted that the sport allowed him to release pent-up frustration and anger. “Rugby let me indulge my rage,” he explained. “I simply didn’t feel pain the way other boys did, which made me scary on a pitch.”
Though sport offered some relief, it didn’t solve the deeper issue of feeling like an outsider at Eton. His reflections suggest that his time at the school was marked by a sense of isolation, despite finding an outlet in rugby.
