Prince George looked smart in his uniform as he walked nervously into school on his first day - without his mother, the Duchess of Cambridge, by his side.

Eastern Daily Press: Prince George arriving with the Duke of Cambridge at Thomas's Battersea in London, as he starts his first day of school. Picture Kensington Palace.Prince George arriving with the Duke of Cambridge at Thomas's Battersea in London, as he starts his first day of school. Picture Kensington Palace.

Kate had hoped to join the Duke of Cambridge on the school run but is suffering from severe morning sickness and was too ill to attend, Kensington Palace said.

The four-year-old was helped out of the car by William after being driven through the gates of Thomas's Battersea, a fee-paying independent school in south London.

The prince, who is thought to be one of the youngest pupils in the year, will be known as George Cambridge to his classmates.

Ben Thomas, who is principal of Thomas's London Day Schools and was headmaster of Thomas's Battersea for 18 years, said he hoped future king George would learn to 'be himself'.

He said: 'The whole aim of these precious early years of education is to give children that confidence in who they are.

'So we are not going to try to mould him into any kind of particular person and we wouldn't do that with any of our pupils.

'I hope he will have the confidence to be himself with all his quirks and his idiosyncrasies and characteristics.'