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The New Boy
Two days after the first anniversary of Princess
Diana's death, Prince Harry
joins his big brother at
exclusive Eton

It was an occasion
guaranteed to evoke
memories of Princess
Diana, who had
beamed with pride
three years before as
Prince William
registered at Eton.
"She stood out so
strongly that day,"
recalls royals author
Judy Wade. Prince
Charles was at Prince
Harry's side when his
turn came Sept. 2. But
most of the boys arriving at the posh
558-year-old school "had their mummies," says
Wade. "The only one without seemed to be
Harry. It was sad."

Yet Diana's self-possessed younger son --
who, along with William, released a statement
that day asking the world to let their mother
"rest in peace" -- made it clear he wasn't living
in the past. Bounding from the station wagon
that delivered him and his father to Manor
House, his new home, the 14-year-old (on
Sept. 15) waved cheerfully to well-wishers and
the press before disappearing inside for tea
with housemaster Dr. Andrew Gailey. Later, as
he prepared to enter his name in the school
register -- the book his brother signed on the
wrong line in '95 -- Charles chided him: "Sign in
the right place." Cheekily, Harry shot back:
"Shut up."

After spending his first night at Manor House,
Harry emerged from his 10-foot-by-7-foot single room
pink-cheeked and perfectly pressed in Eton's traditional
coat and tails, to lead his classmates to morning chapel.
(To avoid stealing Harry's thunder, the
press-shy William had arrived on campus
separately.) For all Harry's confidence, he may
be in for some rough months. "Most boys find
Eton difficult their first year," says Majesty
editor-in-chief Ingrid Seward. And William,
who sealed his scholarly reputation by scoring
A-pluses, A's or B's in three of his nine exams,
is a tough act to follow.

Judging from his first day, though, Harry has
strengths his big brother might envy. "Harry
was smiling a lot the whole 24 hours," says
British Press Association reporter Peter
Archer. "He seems to enjoy being the center of
attention."

Email: bigfish@friend.ly.net