What Is George, Charlotte, & Louis' School Life Really Like?

The royal kids lead royal lives, and a central component of that lifestyle is attending the very best schools the U.K. has to offer. Prince George and Princess Charlotte started out at Thomas's Battersea, a prestigious and impossibly posh school in London. Then, in 2022, the siblings and their little brother, Prince Louis, moved onto the equally fancy Lambrook School in Berkshire, where they have been able to study away from the glare of the spotlight. "The Prince and Princess of Wales though have done everything they can to insulate their children from the pressures of their future so they can enjoy a normal childhood," a source told Entertainment Tonight in 2023. In September 2026, George will head to Eton College, the boarding school where both his father and Prince Harry went.

Despite George, Charlotte, and Louis being born with silver (or should that be platinum?) spoons in their mouths, they have to head to the classroom like every other child. Prince William and Princess Catherine make their kids follow some strict rules, and this includes taking their studies seriously. Subsequently, the Wales offspring seem to be excelling in the classroom and beyond. But what's George, Charlotte, and Louis' school life really like?

When he becomes king, Prince George could go by a number of different names. The youngster is used to having to adjust to varying monikers, as he and his siblings aren't known by their regal names at school. When he started school, George had a rather un-aristocratic nickname. "George is really happy at school, [and] his nickname is P.G.," a parent at Thomas's Battersea, George's first school, revealed to Vanity Fair in 2019.

Initially, George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis used the surname "Cambridge" in lieu of their H.R.H. titles at school. Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022 and the children's subsequent move to Lambrook School, their names changed once again. 

With Prince William and Princess Catherine now known as the Prince and Princess of Wales, their children use the "Wales" title as their surname while at school. Accordingly, they are simply known as George Wales, Charlotte Wales, and Louis Wales. This no doubt helps the children fit in among their peers, as they are not reduced to their royal status. They follow in the footsteps of William and their uncle, Prince Harry, who also used the surname "Wales" in an effort to blend in at school.

When Prince George was first escorted to the gate of Thomas's Battersea School in 2017, his body language was likely a familiar sight for so many parents. The young prince was evidently nervous on his first day of school, as he held onto his father's hand and looked unsure of himself when a teacher sweetly greeted him. Nevertheless, Prince William seemed confident that his son would settle in smoothly. "It went well," he said after collecting George on his first day, per Today. "There was one other parent who had more of an issue with their children — so I was quite pleased I wasn't the one."

But it soon transpired that George was struggling to adjust to school life. A few weeks into his son's time at Thomas's Battersea, William revealed that George wasn't too happy with his new routine. "It was really exciting meeting William," a fellow parent revealed after meeting William during a visit to Milton Keynes, per Grazia. "He told me he'd just dropped Prince George off at school and he didn't want to go. Sounds a bit like mine really."

He may have found adjusting to his new normal a daunting experience, but Prince George would soon come to enjoy school life. Accordingly, he found himself becoming one of the popular kids at Thomas's Battersea, where he made lots of friends. He appeared to be taking after his dad, Prince William, proving to be a much-loved figure at the school. "He's very popular and has lots of friends, and there's very little fuss made about who he is," a source told Vanity Fair. "Either William or Kate do drop off, and they are always very friendly. William particularly loves to have a chat with some of the other parents and he works out with some of the mums at the Harbour Club after drop off. He's very chatty and amiable."

Sweetly, George invited his pals to Kensington Palace for a playdate in 2019. However, as an insider told The Sun, these were no ordinary playdates. Due to his parents living in a historical royal palace, there were more logistics involved than a standard Chuck E. Cheese outing. "It does involve a bit more planning than a normal play date, as everyone visiting the palace has to be security vetted," the source said.

On a number of occasions, Princess Charlotte has been caught showing off her sassy attitude. This sass seemingly extends to her time at school — well, at least when it comes to the youngster sitting her exams. In 2024, Prince William appeared at a D-Day event where he discussed his daughter's struggles with sympathetic members of the public. "Yes, she's got tests — she wasn't looking forward to it this morning ... Hopefully it's all gone well," he told a mother and daughter in attendance, per Hello!

She wasn't the only one feeling frustrated over exams. While meeting with some older school kids, Princess Catherine revealed that Prince George was also getting annoyed over frequent exams. "George is just at the beginning of being tested. He says, 'Mummy, I keep getting tested all the time.' But when it gets to A-levels you feel like you're on it," she could be heard saying in a TikTok video.

Sports have always been integral to the royals' school life. Prince William was an avid rugby player as a kid, while famously sporty Princess Catherine played field hockey. The Prince and Princess of Wales' children have followed in their footsteps, with Princess Charlotte developing a love of gymnastics and soccer. However, Catherine was a little concerned when Prince George began embracing a pastime that can involve hand-to-hand combat.

In a video uploaded to his YouTube channel in 2022, royal pundit Neil Sean revealed that Catherine had her reservations over her son's newfound interest in martial arts. George reportedly learned about martial arts from his Norland nanny. "He's now very keen to undertake martial arts training, with of course the support of his father ... He likes the idea of, you know, basically looking after himself," Sean explained. While Catherine was reportedly worried about the dangers associated with the athletic pursuit, William believed that it would offer his son character-building and independence.

The royal kids' school, Lambrook, is no ordinary place of learning. As such, the prestigious institution has some rather unusual activities on offer for pupils. Farming is on the curriculum with Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis all engaging in the activity. "As part of our sustainability curriculum, we teach our children about their natural environment," reads the school's official website. "Our hope is that caring for these animals will equip the children with practical skills, a greater understanding of animal welfare and the food industry, as well as providing plenty of entertainment and joy." In addition to being encouraged to look after animals, the children grow fruits and vegetables and build bird houses, in the process learning about important environmental issues.

George, in particular, was surely keen about this school activity when he was still at Lambrook. Back in 2019, Prince William told ITV (via Country Life) that his eldest son was already obsessed with farming. "My children are already playing on the tractors," said William. "It's so important to get outside and have the children understand nature."

Known for her confident persona, Princess Charlotte is proving a star at school. In 2019, the 3-year-old was already Miss Popularity. Speaking to Closer Weekly, an insider divulged that the princess' outgoing personality made her a hit among her classmates. "[Charlotte is] very popular and is very passionate about art and music ... She has a strong personality and is the kind of little girl who knows what she wants and doesn't let anything get in her way," the source revealed.

As she gets older, this popularity is showing no sign of waning. But interestingly, it's not the princess' royal background that makes her so well-liked. In 2024, a source told Hello! that kids love Charlotte because she's compassionate and friendly toward her fellow students. "She's kind to the kids in younger years and she's very popular," the insider said. Royal fans saw a brief glimpse into the princess' kind-hearted nature when she allowed her cousin, Mia Tindall, to have some flowers that a fan had offered her in December 2023. Charlotte is proof that kindness, rather than prestige, is key when making a good impression.

One of the most expressive royal kids, Prince Louis is unafraid of showcasing his silly side. But so much of royal life is based around quiet stoicism. Queen Elizabeth II, for instance, rarely allowed herself to show her emotions in public. With this in mind, the royal kids need an outlet for mitigating the pressures of service.

At school, Louis and his classmates use a feelings wheel to help them deal with their emotions. "It's really good ... these are 5 or 6-year-olds, and going with names or pictures of a color that represents how they feel that day, so there is a real keenness in school particularly to get involved in conversations," Princess Catherine told British TV host Fearne Cotton, per Bracknell News. 

Catherine welcomed the school's activity, as she's a proponent of enabling children to manage their emotions in order to reach their full potential. With Louis encouraged to embrace his sensitive side at school, perhaps the future generation of royals will be less concerned about maintaining the stiff-upper-lip resignation associated with the Windsors.

The crown is as much a boon as it is a burden, with those at the top of the line of succession bound by a life of duty and service. From an incredibly young age, Prince George knew that he would someday become king. "I am sure [William and Kate] are making George aware in the best way they can. And not making it too burdensome," a source told People. But while there are many normal things that Prince George will never be able to do, he is also able to use his regal status to his advantage.

At school, George has reportedly shown off his cheeky side. In her book "The New Royals: Queen Elizabeth's Legacy and the Future of the Crown," Katie Nicholl alleged that George had some choice words for his school pals following a spat. "George understands he will one day be king and as a little boy sparred with friends at school, outdoing his peers with the killer line: 'My dad will be king so you better watch out,'" Nicholl wrote. Ouch!

Just as Princess Charlotte has proved herself a master of royal rules, she is a rule-follower outside of her duties. "Charlotte knows the rules," parenting expert Jo Frost told Hello! "She's the one in the middle. She knows how to keep everyone in good stead." At school, Charlotte's knack for sticking to the script has been to her benefit. Accordingly, the hardworking princess has been dubbed an overachiever by those in her inner circle.

A multi-talented royal, Charlotte excels at everything from academia to acrobatics and acting. In fact, the princess even likes doing her homework. "Charlotte is sharp and bright as a button," a source told Us Weekly in 2022. "She is top of her class at reading. She actually enjoys doing homework." It's pretty common for youngsters to loathe homework, but Charlotte is evidently no ordinary kid, with her studious tendencies likely making her a classroom favorite among her teachers.

There are some truly wild rules that royal kids have to follow and this extends to their interactions with fellow pupils at school. At Thomas's Battersea, Prince George and Princess Charlotte weren't supposed to pick best friends — and this wasn't a royal rule. Rather, it was due to the school's emphasis on kindness being key to students' wellbeing, as having a BFF is viewed as exclusionary.

In addition to the royal kids being discouraged from having besties early on, the school prohibited them from handing out birthday party invites. "There's a policy that if your child is having a party, unless every child in the class is invited you don't give out the invites in class, which I think is quite a good thing as you don't feel excluded," TV host Jane Moore explained on British show "Loose Women" (via Cosmopolitan). "It's a really great little school actually. It really focuses on kindness."

Being royals, such rules have a twofold effect on George and Charlotte, as they're encouraged to treat everybody as equal regardless of status. At Lambrook, it's unclear whether they are permitted to have best friends, though body language expert Judi James told Express in 2023 that George and Charlotte's respective BFFs appear to be Savannah Phillips and, rather sweetly, Princess Catherine.

Prince Louis has been keen on making friends since he was barely out of diapers. During the Coronavirus pandemic in 2020, Louis' mother, Princess Catherine, joked that he was struggling with social distancing due to his friendly personality. "Louis doesn't understand social distancing," she told BBC Breakfast (via People). "He goes out wanting to cuddle anything, particularly any babies younger than him." Soon enough, however, Louis would be able to make lots of pals at school.

As the youngest of the Wales siblings, Louis didn't start school until 2022. At Lambrook, he has been encouraged to make new friends through the school's nature-themed initiatives, which will no doubt please the amiable young prince. In a post on the school's Instagram, it was revealed that the children in Louis' year had taken part in a nature-themed art and drama class as part of a collaboration with a partnership school. "It was wonderful to see them not only inspired by everything they learnt during their morning, but also happily forming new friendships," the post read.

As the grandson of passionate environmentalist King Charles III, Prince George has discovered a thing or two about the importance of looking after one's surroundings. But George's budding interest in environmental causes has also caused him some distress and confusion.

In 2021, Prince William revealed to the BBC (via the Mirror) that his eldest son was in a bad mood after cleaning up litter with his schoolmates. "So George at school recently has been doing litter picking and I didn't realize but talking to him the other day he was already showing that he was getting a bit confused and a bit sort of annoyed," he said. After collecting the litter with his classmates, George noticed that more trash had taken its place the very next day. "I think that for him he was trying to understand how and where it all came from," William continued. "He couldn't understand, he's like, 'Well, we cleaned this. Why has it not gone away?'" After George switched to Lambrook, which champions sustainability as part of its curriculum, we imagine the future king only grew more invested in environmental causes.

Though generally pretty private when it comes to their children, on occasion Prince William and Princess Catherine have opened up about the Wales kids' school activities. In May 2020, the couple revealed that Prince George and Princess Charlotte were working on a creative school project in remembrance of V.E. Day. "The school has sent all the children a challenge, and they're currently learning the lyrics to the song 'We'll Meet Again,'" Catherine said, per People. "It's been really lovely having that playing every day."

But it's not just the creative arts that are keeping the royal kids busy. Also that year, Catherine met with Ceri Edwards, a finalist of a lockdown photography project (Edwards had taken a poignant photo of her partner and daughter, Poppy, hugging before the former headed to frontline duty during the pandemic). Famed for being a talented photographer herself, Catherine had much to talk about with Edwards. In a chat with Hello!, Edwards revealed that she and Catherine discussed what their children were currently studying at school. "We talked about Poppy and Prince George being in the same school year [three] and their current school topics [Poppy's is Brazil and Beyond and George's is The Active World — Volcanoes]," said Edwards. "It was a very special day and something we treasured and will always remember."

Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis may not exactly be ordinary kids, but that doesn't mean that every aspect of their lives is extraordinary. Because growing up in a royal household can be a very intense experience, their parents, Prince William and Princess Catherine, have tried to give them as much normalcy as possible. This has been made especially evident by William and Catherine's efforts to drop Louis, Charlotte, and George off at school in the mornings. Rather than sending their brood to school with a nanny or a chauffeur, the Prince and Princess of Wales have opted to perform the task themselves.

Interestingly, this has been something of a pattern for William and Catherine. As formal royal butler Grant Harrold said in a 2026 conversation with Select Car Leasing (via Express), "Both William and Kate like doing things for themselves. Their homes runs with very few staff, and their day-to-day life is far more 'normal' than older members of the Royal Family." Apparently, taking Charlotte, George, and Louis to school fits in with this DIY mentality. "The school run is part of this. For them, it's an important part of their children's daily routine and they want to do it themselves," Harrold added. This attitude has ultimately been good for Wales family bonding. After all, it has allowed William and Catherine to become a part of their kids' daily school routines.

Prince George is not the only member of the Wales family who has developed a penchant for rugby. Prince Louis has also displayed a strong interest in the sport since starting school — apparently following in his father's footsteps. Of course, there's one major difference between the young royal's athletic pursuits and Prince William's own sporty past. While William participated in full-blown, contact rugby, Louis has not quite reached that level of the sport. As Princess Catherine revealed at a 2026 event honoring Britain's women's rugby team, per the Daily Mail, "Rugby is so accessible; Louis is playing touch rugby and it's such a great game."

If Louis has embraced rugby, his older sister, Princess Charlotte, has had a different approach to the sport. At the same event, Catherine was asked whether Charlotte had dabbled in rugby at school. The Princess of Wales then replied, "She does loads of sports, but not much rugby yet. It's so difficult playing rugby in school." Back in the day, Catherine preferred field hockey to rugby at school.

Interestingly, though, Princess Charlotte has a special friendship with her cousin, Mia Tindall. The daughter of professional rugby player Mike Tindall, Mia is said to have taught Charlotte a thing or two about rugby over the years. Because of this fun dynamic, it's not surprising that Catherine clarified, "Charlotte is playing rugby but at home with the family, so she isn't yet at school." 

Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis may be in an unusual position as young royals, but the trio stays as down-to-earth as possible after the school day comes to an end. In practice, that means following a strict after-school routine. Under the guidance of their parents, Prince William and Princess Catherine, George, Charlotte, and Louis sit down to a healthy dinner before setting off to do their homework. Apparently, the trio actually helps their parents prepare the food.

Commenting on this dynamic to Hello! in 2020, Matthew Kleiner-Mann of the educational organization Ivy Learning Trust described some of the meals that Catherine makes with her kids. "They made cheesy pasta the other day. One stirs the flour, one puts the milk and butter in. And they make salads and stuff," he shared. Apparently, William and Catherine try to execute their family's entire evening routine without the help of a cook or a cleaner. The reason? The Prince and Princess of Wales want their children's after-school lives to be relatively normal — even if George, Charlotte, and Louis will never have the chance to enjoy the same anonymity as the rest of their classmates. 

It's not always easy being the oldest sibling — and it seems Prince George knows it. Over the years, the future King of England has dealt with high expectations, especially in the classroom. Because of this, there have been times that George has eyed his younger sister, Princess Charlotte's, homework and offered to do it in lieu of his own. This was particularly true during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic when George and Charlotte were both taking classes remotely. "We're stuck into homeschooling again. George gets very upset because he just wants to do all of Charlotte's projects. Spider sandwiches are far cooler than literacy work," Princess Catherine revealed in a 2020 interview on ITV, according to People.

The good news, though, is that there were some homeschooling activities that George and Charlotte could do together. Chief among them were video calls to discuss current events with their family members. "We try and check in daily with family members and speak to them about news and things like that," Catherine added in the same interview. This dynamic allowed George and Charlotte to share some educational experiences, even if the future king was not allowed to do his little sister's homework.