Are Kate Middleton And Prince William Planning To Send George To Boarding School?
Prince George is growing up fast. Prince William and Kate Middleton's oldest child recently celebrated his eighth birthday and with his advancing age comes some big changes.
George has recently learned that he's third in line to the throne, and will likely one day become king behind his grandfather and father. Royal expert Robert Lacey told Daily Express that George became quickly interested in learning more about his family history after receiving the life-changing information. In addition, George has been seen transitioning from his usual shorts and sweaters to wearing suits while at public engagements. People magazine reports that George is at the age where etiquette experts say he should leave his formal shorts behind and begin wearing pants and suits during his outings.
However, through it all, George is said to be a pretty normal child. "Although Prince George might be future king of the castle, he's not king of the castle yet. He's not Little Lord Fauntleroy. He's a rascal eight-year-old — full of mischief and always playing tricks and pranks on his younger sister and brother," royal author Duncan Larcombe told OK!, per Woman & Home. "Hopefully George can enjoy all the benefits of royal life, but without the extraordinary, weird impact of growing up in a goldfish bowl." In addition to being the future king, it seems that George may also be preparing to carry on another royal family tradition when it comes to his education.
Prince George is reportedly happy at his current school
Us Weekly reports that Prince George may soon find himself attending a boarding school if Prince William and Kate Middleton are in agreeance. Sources tell the outlet that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge aren't opposed to the idea, and are weighing their options when it comes to George's schooling.
The insider explained, "Kate and William are open to sending George to boarding school in the future and have already checked out a few, but they feel 8 is a little young and want to wait until he's slightly older." In addition, the source reveals, "They'd never force George to go unless he wants to and they feel it's right."
The royal informant also claims that the proud parents have spoken to George about the possibility of boarding school and that he's "keen" on the idea. However, he's also very happy at his current school, St Thomas' Battersea, which he's been attending since 2017. The sources say that George "has lots of friends there," and has become "one of the most popular boys in the class." George's younger sister, Princess Charlotte, attends St. Thomas' Battersea as well.
According to Evening Standard, George's father William and uncle, Prince Harry, both attended boarding school at the Ludgrove School in Berkshire, and reportedly enjoyed their time at the establishment. It seems only time will tell if George follows in their footsteps.
William and Kate's kids aren't royals in school
They might attend a posh primary school, but in the classroom Prince George and Princess Charlotte are generally treated like all the other children. According to Express, although Prince William and Kate Middleton's eldest child is officially known by the lengthy moniker His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge, and boasts the equally fancy middle names Alexander and Louis, in school he's listed as simply George Cambridge on the class register. Charlotte, meanwhile, is Charlotte Cambridge. The kids' surname comes from their parents' ranking, as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
William and his younger brother, Prince Harry, were similarly known as William and Harry Wales in school, because their parents were the Prince and Princess of Wales. It was also their surname during both boys' army stints. Young Prince Louis, meanwhile, is also expected to go by Louis Cambridge when he begins school. However, the queen's descendants are also free to use the surname Mountbatten-Windsor if they wish, including Harry's children with wife Meghan Markle, Archie and Lilibet, neither of whom have official titles after their parents' defection from the royal family.
Prince George might follow in his mother's footsteps
There have been many reports about Prince George attending the prestigious Ludgrove preparatory school, before hopefully ascending to Eton College at age 13, but there's a chance he might follow in his mother's rather than his father's footsteps instead. According to the Daily Mail, via Express, there have been several discussions over the past few years about whether George would be better off at Marlborough College, where Kate Middleton attended from 1996 to 2000. Based in Wiltshire, the high-ranking institution would reportedly give the young prince a "less traditional" education. According to a source close to the family, "the smart money is on George going there instead."
The reason being that St. Thomas's was an offbeat choice, which seemingly exemplified Prince William and Kate's approach to finding schools that are "the right fit" for their kids, as opposed to just the most obvious placement. As the insider explained, "They are very keen to allow George to spread his wings as a child and won't ever do what people expect them to do when it comes to their children." Marlborough is reportedly where Kate blossomed as a teenager, and it's a much less competitive, more progressive environment than Eton, so might prove to be an ideal spot for George to find himself.