Eton College Notable Alumni

Discover the notable alumni of Eton College. The list includes people like Karl Marx, Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon, David Cameron, George Orwell & Christopher Lee. This list of notable alumni is loosely sorted by popularity and has people from different domains of life, such as intellectuals & academics, leaders, writers, miscellaneous and scientists etc.

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 1 

George Orwell

(Known for His Novels “Animal Farm” and “Nineteen Eighty-Four”)

Birthdate: June 25, 1903

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Motihari, Bihar, India

Died: January 21, 1950

The king of dystopia and satire, George Orwell, the pen name adopted by Eric Arthur Blair, was a well-known novelist and critic of the 20th century. A man with a strong mind of his own, Orwell never backed down from stating his views on the socio-political climate he lived in, which he expressed profusely through his influential essays and novels.

 2 

Hugh Laurie

(Known for His Role Dr. Gregory House on the TV series ‘House’)

Birthdate: June 11, 1959

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Oxford, Oxfordshire, England

A Guinness record holder for the most-watched leading man on TV, three-time Golden Globe-winner and two-time SAG Award-winner Hugh Laurie has also dabbled in blues music and written a novel. From starting his career with sketch comedy, to winning the OBE and CBE, the actor/comedian has come a long way.

Birthdate: May 28, 1908

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Mayfair, London

Died: August 12, 1964

Ian Fleming was a British writer, naval intelligence officer, and journalist. Fleming is credited with creating one of the most popular characters of all time, James Bond. His James Bond series of novels have sold more than 100 million copies, making them one of the best-selling fictional book series in history. Jamaica’s Ian Fleming International Airport is named after him.

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 4 

Aldous Huxley

(Writer and Philosopher Best Known for His Novels: ‘Brave New World’, ‘Island’ and ‘Point Counter Point’)

Birthdate: July 26, 1894

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Godalming, England

Died: November 22, 1963

English writer and philosopher Aldous Huxley wrote countless books, including novels, short stories, non-fiction, and poems. He is best remembered for his science-fiction novels Brave New World and Island. The seven-time Nobel Prize nominee was also a Companion of Literature of the Royal Society of Literature and a Vedanta believer.

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Birthdate: August 4, 1792

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Warnham, United Kingdom

Died: July 8, 1822

Legendary English Romantic poetry P.B. Shelley is remembered for his masterpieces such as Ode to the West Wind, To a Skylark, and Prometheus Unbound. He was known for his poetic imagery, and his popularity soared after his premature death due to drowning while boating at age 29. 

 6 

Prince Harry

(Younger Son of King Charles III and His First Wife Diana)

Birthdate: September 15, 1984

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: St Mary's Hospital, London, England

England's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, is the younger son of Prince Charles and Princess Diana. He has served the British army in Afghanistan. He established the Invictus Games and also helps scores of charities. Along with wife Meghan Markle, he stepped down from all royal roles in 2020.

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Birthdate: February 10, 1894

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Cadogan Place, London

Died: December 29, 1986

Harold Macmillan, also known as “Supermac” because of his witty personality, served as the British prime minister from 1957 to 1963. He was injured and rendered partially immobile while serving in World War I. He was known for supporting the nuclear test ban and for association with the Suez Crisis.

 8 

Prince William

( Elder Son of King Charles III and His First Wife Diana)

Birthdate: June 21, 1982

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Paddington, London, England

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, the elder son of Prince Charles and Princess Diana is the second in the line to the throne of Britain. He is a trained pilot. He is also associated with a number of charities, including those related to mental-health awareness and environmental issues. 

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Birthdate: January 6, 1982

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: London, England, United Kingdom

Eddie Redmayne is a British actor who has prestigious awards, such as the Academy Award, Golden Globe, and Tony Award under his belt. Over the years, Redmayne has made important contributions to the field of entertainment for which he was appointed OBE in the 2015 Birthday Honours.

Birthdate: December 29, 1809

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: Liverpool, Lancashire, England

Died: May 19, 1898

William Ewart Gladstone was a British politician and statesman. During a career that spanned six decades, Gladstone served as prime minister of the UK for 12 years, which included four different terms. Often counted among Britain's greatest leaders, Gladstone has been portrayed in several films and television series, such as Parnell, The Prime Minister, Edward the Seventh, and Number 10.

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Birthdate: January 25, 1627

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Ireland

Died: December 30, 1691

Robert Boyle was an Anglo-Irish chemist, natural philosopher, inventor, and physicist. Regarded as the first modern chemist, Boyle is often counted among the founders of modern chemistry. One of the pioneers of the scientific method, Robert Boyle is also remembered for his books, including The Sceptical Chymist, which is viewed as a keystone book in chemistry.

Birthdate: August 26, 1676

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Houghton, Norfolk, England

Died: March 18, 1745

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Birthdate: February 11, 1971

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: St John's Wood, London

Damian Lewis is an actor who achieved popularity after playing real-life personalities like US Army Major Richard Winters, Henry VIII of England, and Steve McQueen. He was appointed an OBE for services to drama in the 2014 Birthday Honours. Also known for his charitable activities, Lewis has participated in an annual charity event called Soccer Aid, which supports UNICEF UK.

 14 

Dominic West

(Actor, Director and Musician Best Known for His Role as ‘Jimmy McNulty’ in the TV Series ‘The Wire’)

Birthdate: October 15, 1969

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom

Dominic West is best known as Jimmy McNulty from The Wire and Noah Solloway from The Affair. West has modeled for Carte Noire and has trekked to the South Pole as part of a fundraiser for wounded soldiers. His performance in Appropriate Adult won him a BAFTA TV award.

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Birthdate: July 4, 1942

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Coppins, Iver, Buckinghamshire, England

A member of the British royal family, Prince Michael of Kent is a grandson of King George V and Queen Mary. He is currently 48th in the line of succession to the British throne. He is a businessman and runs his own consultancy business with operations across the world. He has a keen interest in sports and is a Freemason.

Birthdate: November 23, 1887

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Weymouth, Dorset, England

Died: August 10, 1915

Henry Moseley was an English physicist best known for his development of Moseley's law in X-ray spectra. He made major contributions to the fields of atomic physics, nuclear physics, and quantum physics. He was working at the University of Oxford when World War I broke out, following which he went to volunteer for the Royal Engineers of the British Army. 

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 17 

Rory Stewart

(British Politician Who Served as Minister in Theresa May's Cabinet)

Birthdate: January 3, 1973

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: British Hong Kong

The son of a soldier and intelligence officer, Rory Stewart was educated at Eton and Oxford and was also a tutor to princes William and Harry. Apart from being a diplomat and MP later, he also traveled across several countries on foot and wrote about this remarkable journey in a bestselling book.

 18 

Randolph Churchill

(Son of Winston Churchill and Conservative Member of Parliament for Preston from 1940 to 1945)

Birthdate: May 28, 1911

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: London, England, United Kingdom

Died: June 6, 1968

Randolph Churchill was a British journalist and writer. The only son of Sir Winston Churchill, Randolph Churchill followed in the footsteps of his father and became a prominent politician, serving as a member of parliament for Preston. Randolph Churchill was portrayed by famous actors in several TV series and films like Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years and Darkest Hour.

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 19 

Charles Shaughnessy

(Best Known for His Role as ‘Shane Donovan’ in the TV Soap Opera ‘Days of Our Lives’)

Birthdate: February 9, 1955

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: London, England

British actor Charles Shaughnessy is best known for playing Shane Donovan in the soap opera Days of Our Lives. The son of a TV writer, he was introduced to the show business at an early age and started acting as a child. In the ensuing decades, he established himself as a successful character actor with versatile TV roles.

Birthdate: March 13, 1764

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Fallodon, Northumberland, England

Died: July 17, 1845

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 21 

John Graves Simcoe

(British Army General Who Founded the City of Toronto and Abolished Slavery in Canada)

Birthdate: February 25, 1752

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Cotterstock, Oundle, England

Died: October 26, 1806

John Graves Simcoe was a British Army general best remembered for founding York (present-day Toronto, Canada). Simcoe, who served as the first lieutenant governor of Upper Canada, was responsible for introducing institutions like trial by jury, courts of law, freehold land tenure, and English common law. John Graves Simcoe also played a key role in abolishing slavery in Canada.

Birthdate: November 3, 1901

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Brussels, Belgium

Died: September 25, 1983

Belgian king Leopold III was despised by his countrymen for surrendering Belgium to the Germans during World War II. After being imprisoned by the Germans near Brussels, he went to Austria, and went back to Belgium later, only to be faced by a civil war that forced him to abdicate.

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 23 

J.B.S. Haldane

(British Scientist Who Developed the Mathematical Theory of Population Genetics and One of the Founders of ‘Neo-Darwinism’)

Birthdate: November 5, 1892

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Oxford, England

Died: December 1, 1964

British geneticist J.B.S. Haldane is remembered for his pioneering use of statistics in biology. A proponent of neo-Darwinism, he was the son of physiologist John Scott Haldane and had begun assisting his father at age 8. He later joined the British Communist Party and also moved to India.

 24 

John Herschel

(British Polymath Known for His Invention of 'Blueprint')

Birthdate: March 7, 1792

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Slough, Buckinghamshire, England

Died: May 11, 1871

The son of renowned astronomer William Herschel, John Herschel was educated at Eton and Cambridge and grew up to be a polymath. Apart from contributing to the field of photography, he was known for cataloguing and naming stars and satellites. He briefly also served as the Master of the Royal Mint.

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 25 

Harry Lloyd

(Actor)

Birthdate: November 17, 1983

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: London, England, UK

Height: 6'0" (183 cm)

 26 

Spencer Matthews

(Television personality)

Birthdate: August 6, 1988

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: London, England

Height: 5'9" (175 cm)

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 27 

Thomas Gray

(Poet, Writer, Literary critic)

Birthdate: December 26, 1716

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: London

Died: July 30, 1771

 28 

Julian Huxley

(Biologist)

Birthdate: June 22, 1887

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: London, England

Died: February 14, 1975

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 29 

Beau Brummell

(Society figure)

Birthdate: June 7, 1778

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: London, England

Died: March 30, 1840

Birthdate: December 31, 1738

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: Grosvenor Square, London, England

Died: October 5, 1805

British army general Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis is best remembered for his stints as the governor-general of India and the viceroy of Ireland. Educated at Eton and Cambridge, he later started his army career with the Seven Years’ War. He was also part of the American War of Independence.

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 31 

Frederick Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts

(Military General)

Birthdate: September 30, 1832

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Kanpur, India

Died: November 14, 1914

 32 

Guy Burgess

(Spy, Journalist)

Birthdate: April 16, 1911

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Devon

Died: August 30, 1963

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Birthdate: March 7, 1930

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Belgravia

Died: January 13, 2017

From working as a photographer to becoming one of the members of the British royal family, Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon had an amazing journey. Despite being known for his marriage with Princess Margaret, he was also known for his philanthropy and charity work. He also co-designed the Snowdon Aviary, which is now part of the famous London Zoo.

Birthdate: October 9, 1966

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Marylebone, London, England

British politician David Cameron served as the prime minister of the UK from 2010 to 2016. During his prime ministership, Cameron's government introduced large-scale changes to education, healthcare, immigration policy, and welfare. His administration also legalized same-sex marriage in Wales and England and privatized the Royal Mail. 

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 35 

George Lascelles, 7th Earl of Harewood

(Author)

Birthdate: February 7, 1923

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Chesterfield House, London, England

Died: July 11, 2011

George Lascelles, the 7th Earl of Harewood, was one of those British royalty members who gained more fame for their work than for their lineage. An art and music lover, he headed the English National Opera. An avid football fan, too, he was also the Leeds United president.

 36 

John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich

(British Former First Lord of the Admiralty)

Birthdate: November 13, 1718

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: England

Died: April 30, 1792

At age 10, John Montagu succeeded his grandfather, Edward Montagu, as the earl of Sandwich. The Eton- and Cambridge-educated statesman had held several important positions, such as the First Lord of the Admiralty. While gambling, he would often have bread and meat, leading to the delicacy being named “sandwich.”

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 37 

Nathaniel Philip Rothschild

(Financier, Economist and Banker)

Birthdate: July 12, 1971

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: London, United Kingdom

Height: 5'11" (180 cm)

 38 

Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury

(Foreign Secretary)

Birthdate: February 3, 1830

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England

Died: August 22, 1903

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 39 

A. J. Ayer

(British Philosopher Known for His Promotion of Logical Positivism)

Birthdate: October 29, 1910

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: St John's Wood, London, England

Died: June 27, 1989

Educated at the prestigious Eton College and the University of Oxford, A.J. Ayer grew up to popularize logical positivism. During World War II, he had been an MI6 spy. Known for his bestselling work Language, Truth, and Logic, he promoted ideas such as emotivist ethics and the verification principle.

 40 

Matthew Pinsent

(Britsh Rower and Consecutive Olympic Gold Medal Winner From 1992 to 2004)

Birthdate: October 10, 1970

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Holt, Norfolk, England

Matthew Pinsent is an English broadcaster and former rower. Having won four successive Olympic gold medals in rowing, Pinsent is widely regarded as one of the most successful English Olympians of his generation. He also won 10 world championships during his illustrious rowing career. In 2005, Matthew Pinsent was honored by the International Rowing Federation with the Thomas Keller Medal.

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 41 

Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester

(Politician)

Birthdate: March 31, 1900

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: York Cottage, England

Died: June 10, 1974

Son of King George V and Queen Mary, Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, was educated at Eton, becoming the first son of a monarch in Britain to attend school. He made headlines with his affair with Beryl Markham. Owing to his multiple strokes, he was wheelchair-bound in his final years.

 42 

Henry Lascelles, 6th Earl of Harewood

(Military personnel)

Birthdate: September 9, 1882

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: London, England

Died: May 23, 1947

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 43 

Bill Turnbull

(Journalist, Presenter)

Birthdate: January 25, 1956

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Guildford

Bill Turnbull is an English journalist and TV presenter. Turnbull was the principal male presenter of the popular breakfast news program BBC Breakfast, contributing to its success for 15 years. Bill Turnbull is also known for his charity work; in 2009, Buckinghamshire New University gave him an honorary doctorate for his work within the Buckinghamshire community.

 44 

Charles Wellesley, 9th Duke of Wellington

(Politician)

Birthdate: August 19, 1945

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Windsor, England

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Birthdate: December 22, 1696

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: Surrey

Died: June 30, 1785

Remembered as the founder of the British colony of Georgia in the US, James Oglethorpe was a renowned British soldier, MP, and social reformer. Educated at Oxford, he initially fought for the Austrian army against the Turks. As an MP, he brought in prison reforms. He was also the governor of Georgia.

Birthdate: January 11, 1859

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: Kedleston, Derbyshire, England

Died: March 20, 1925

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 47 

Daniel Massey

(Actor)

Birthdate: October 10, 1933

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Westminster, London, England

Died: March 25, 1998

Height: 6'3" (190 cm)

 48 

Jonathan Aitken

(Politician)

Birthdate: August 30, 1942

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Dublin, Ireland

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 49 

Lord North

(Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1770 to 1782)

Birthdate: April 13, 1732

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Piccadilly

Died: August 5, 1792

 50 

Ian Ogilvy

(Actor)

Birthdate: September 30, 1943

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Woking, Surrey, England, UK

Height: 6'0" (183 cm)

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Founded by King Henry VI in 1440, Eton College provides quality education to young boys aged 13-18 years. Located in Eton, Berkshire, near Windsor, this boarding school for boys provides quality education along with high quality sporting and cultural activities. Getting an admission in this independent school is solely based on the student’s knowledge in the all- round activities and does not depend on his financial background. Unlike other colleges and universities, which produce actors, directors, cricketers and astronauts, Eton College has educated 19 Prime Ministers and generations of aristocracy. Robert Walpole, John Stuart, George Grenville, William Pitt the Elder, Frederick North, William Grenville are some of them. Apart from the Prime Ministers, distinguished personalities like Harry Lloyd, who is well known for his role as Viserys Targaryen in the Game of Thrones series made his television debut while studying at the Eton College. Alexander Guy Rushworth Loudon, popularly known as Alexander Loudon by the cricket audience worldwide captained the 1st XI, while studying at Eton. Also, Simons Woods, a product of the Eton College is an English actor who starred the Dr Harrison in the BBC1 costume drama series Cranford. Other prominent Etonians who pursued their education in the Eton College include Ivo James Benedict Stourton, a British author and solicitor; Henry Blofeld, cricket commentator and journalist; Robin Dixon, a politician and an Olympic Games gold medal winner. Check out the other few celebrities who studied at the Eton College, Berkshire.