Eton College alumni include Prince William, Eddie Redmayne and Tom Hiddleston
Eton College, founded in 1440 by King Henry VI opposite Windsor Castle, returned to media attention in September 2026 when Prince George began his studies at the elite British boarding school. Long before the young royal stepped onto the campus, the historic institution educated not only British royals like Princes William and Harry, but also a cohort of future Hollywood actors, literary figures, and political leaders who walked the exact same corridors.
Hollywood Stars Who Shared Classrooms with Royalty
The intersection of British aristocracy and global entertainment is perhaps best exemplified by actors who crossed paths with senior members of the royal family inside the centuries-old gates. Eddie Redmayne, who earned an Oscar for The Theory of Everything, attended Eton between 1995 and 2000 alongside Prince William. The two contemporaries played on the same school rugby team and served together in Pop, the school’s society of distinguished prefects. In a 2016 appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, Redmayne recalled the competitive environment on the rugby pitch, noting that opposing school teams targeted the future king specifically for tackles so players could boast about bringing down Prince William.
Tom Hiddleston, widely known for playing Loki in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, entered Eton at age 13 after attending Oxford’s The Dragon School—the exact same age Prince George enrolled. Hiddleston attended the institution a year ahead of Prince William, utilizing the school’s rigorous academic focus and classical theater productions to build the discipline that later carried him to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). Meanwhile, Hugh Laurie, star of the medical drama Dr. House, studied at Eton in the early 1970s before heading to the University of Cambridge. Unlike his theatrical pursuits in adulthood, Laurie focused heavily on athletics during his school years, following in the footsteps of his father, Olympic gold medalist Ran Laurie, by excelling in rowing.
Damian Lewis rounded out this creative roster, studying at the Berkshire institution from 1982 to 1987. The actor, musician, and producer described the environment as intense and demanding, yet it served as the literal launching pad where he first discovered his passion for acting.
Literary Legends and Political Heavyweights
Beyond modern screen stars, Eton’s alumni registry spans foundational literary figures and heads of state. Eric Arthur Blair—better known by his pen name George Orwell—attended the school after winning a prestigious King’s Scholarship, which reflected his superior intellect at a young age. Although Orwell later voiced sharp criticisms of the British class system, he acknowledged that his time at Eton provided an atmosphere of intellectual freedom that shaped masterworks like 1984 and Animal Farm. Ian Fleming, the journalist and author who created secret agent James Bond, entered Eton in 1921 and established a formidable athletic legacy by winning the Victor Ludorum title as the school’s top athlete for two consecutive years, while also editing the campus magazine The Wyvern.
The institution's political footprint remains equally strong. Over 20 of the United Kingdom’s 55 prime ministers passed through its gates, a list featuring leaders such as David Cameron—who studied there from 1979 to 1984 before eventually taking office in 2010—and Boris Johnson.
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