Prince Harry has spoken openly about his difficult school years, particularly during his time at Eton College.

In a 2023 interview with journalist Anderson Cooper, the Duke of Sussex reflected on the challenges he faced adjusting to life at the elite boarding school, and how his relationship with his older brother, Prince William, added to those struggles. He recalled moments that left him feeling “hurt.”

Harry attended Eton from 1998 to 2003. As reported by Hello! magazine, he shared with Cooper that, upon his arrival, William instructed him to pretend they didn’t know each other. “At the time, it hurt. I couldn’t make sense of it.

I was like, ‘What do you mean? We’re now at the same school,’” Harry said. While he now recognizes that William’s behavior was typical of older siblings trying to assert independence, he admitted it felt deeply personal at the time.

In his memoir, Spare, Harry gave further insight into his school experience.

He described struggling to find where he fit in among Eton’s student groups.