From the Palace to the Classroom: The Next Generation | Part Two
The second part of a series on royal education and the monarchy's slow shift to modern pedagogy
Last week I discussed the history of royal education, from the Stuart and Elizabethan dynasties to modern practices of the Windsors. Today, we continue that discussion with a focus on the education of Prince William and Prince Harry, as well as the Wales’ children — Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. Overall, this series examines the monarchy’s shift from isolated education to more modern practices.
Click the article below to read part one.
Prince William and Prince Harry
Prince William, the eldest of the two brothers, attended Jane Mynors’ nursery school and Weatherby School in London before attending Ludgrove School in Berkshire. During the summer, he was tutored by Rory Stewert, an academic and former diplomat. Like most of the royal men and boys, William proved to have a love of sport. He enjoyed football, swimming, basketball, cross-country running, and clay pigeon shooting at Ludgrove.
But why Ludgrove exactly? The school is outside of London, 30-minutes from Windsor, and not particularly close to Charles and Diana’s main residence, Highgrove House. Reports say that it was Diana’s decision to have her boys attend Ludgrove, which would place them in a more secluded area, able to enjoy a childhood with boys their age, far from the overbearing press. In Ingrid Steward’s 1993 book titled Royal Children, she writes that “It was a clear break from royal tradition—and her husband. In the British upper classes it is almost invariably the father who makes the final decision in the choice of schools for a son. In this family, the father was overruled. As one of her royal relations remarked: ‘She’s the strong one in the marriage—especially when it comes to the children.’” Her youngest, Prince Harry, would follow suit, attending the same nursery school and pre-preparatory school as his brother.
After their time at Ludgrove, Prince William and Prince Harry attended Eton College — another break from family tradition. Despite Eton being a popular choice school among the British upper class, William and Harry were the first of their royal generation to attend.
The decision to attend Eton much to the disappointment of Prince Philip, was pushed by the then Prince Charles after his many negative experiences at Gordonstoun School in Scotland. For a visual, Netflix’s The Crown does a good job of portraying Charles’ experience at Gordonstoun, but I further recommend Sally Bedell Smith’s 2017 book titled Prince Charles: The Passions and Paradoxes of an Improbable Life for more. I also discussed Charles’ experience in From the Palace to the Classroom: The History of Royal Education | Part One.
Aside from its stark contrast to the Spartan-like rigor of Gordonstoun, other factors likely influenced Charles and Diana’s decision to send their boys to Eton. The school boasts a long history dating back to 1440, founded by King Henry VI. Over the centuries, it has educated the likes of prime ministers (18 total!), royals from across the globe, famous writers, scientists, and other figures of influence, cementing its reputation as a respected institution, a natural choice for the education of a future King of England.
Another influence was likely the institution’s religion, being that of Christianity, making it the ideal place for a future head of the Church of England to study.
Lastly, the undeniable prestige of it all. Even after 584 years, the boys-only Eton College is still a top choice among Britain’s elite. The highly sought-after education it provides is not only a marker of privilege, but also a gateway to influential circles, much like the monarchy itself. Both Eton and the monarchy are institutions deeply rooted in tradition, history, and exclusivity. When it comes to education choices for the royal family — these ideals must align. I recommend the 1995 documentary “Inside Eton”, created the same year Prince William entered the school.
Prince Harry’s experience at Eton differs largely from that of Williams. In his memoir, Spare, he talks about his difficulties with the curriculum, and how he felt he was misplaced, unable to keep up with the rigorous courses. He writes, “Things might have been different if I’d achieved good grades. But I didn’t and everyone knew it. My reports were in the public domain. The whole Commonwealth was aware of my academic struggles, which were largely due to being overmatched at Eton. But no one ever discussed the other probable cause. Mummy.”
Harry’s entrance to Eton came a year after his mother’s passing, his disinterest in academics stemming from a hatred of concentration, or as he writes in Spare, “Study, concentration, requires an alliance with the mind, and in my teen years I was waging all-out war with mine. I was forever fending off its darkest thoughts, its basest fears—its fondest memories…My memory had been spotty since Mummy disappeared, by design, and I didn’t want to fix it, because memory equaled grief.”
Eventually, Prince Harry found a spot to shine in sports, enjoying sports like rugby and polo. After he graduated from Eton, Harry joined the military in 2005, serving for ten years and completing two tours of Afghanistan.
Prince William graduated from Eton in 2000, choosing to go the path of University as opposed to the military. The natural choice for a future King would have been Oxford or Cambridge, but this time around, William broke from royal tradition and attended a Scottish University, the University of St Andrews.
In an interview with the BBC in 2001, William speaks on his choice to attend St. Andrews, "The reason I didn't want to go to an English university is because I have lived there and wanted to get away and try somewhere else. I also knew I would be seeing a lot of Wales in the future.” He goes on to say, "And I do love Scotland. There is plenty of space, I love the hills and mountains and I thought St Andrews had a real community feel to it." At the time, William was around 19 years old, old enough to have more choice in his education. Plus, when the role of future King is granted upon birth, it was probably nice to have some autonomy in that regard. Prince William went on to study a History of Arts degree before switching to Geography. While attending St Andrews, Prince William would go on to meet his future wife, Kate Middleton.
I think it is rather funny to mention that the article reports a 44% increase in university applications, with “over-eager female students already having ordered their wedding dresses in readiness for his arrival.”
Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie
Princess Beatrice, the oldest of the two daughters of Prince Andrew and Sarah, Duchess of York, began her education at Upton House School in 1991. Her sister, Princess Eugenie, started her education at Winkfield Montessori a year later in 1992. They both went on to attend Coworth Flexlands School, formally known as Coworth Park School, located in Surrey. From there, Beatrice and her sister attended St. George’s School in Berkshire. Eventually, Eugenie left St George’s School to board at Marlborough College — the same one Kate Middleton attended!
Their education was typical of upper-class girls, and like their cousins Prince William and Prince Harry, they chose to continue their education at the University level. Princess Beatrice attended Goldsmiths, University of London, studying history and history of ideas. Princess Eugenie attended Newcastle University, where she studied art history, English literature, and politics.
Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall
Peter Phillips, son of Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips attended Port Regis Prep School in Dorset before attending Gordonstoun School in Scotland. It seems Peter had a better experience than his Uncle, Charles, whose experience at Gordonstoun I discuss in the first part of this series. While attending Gordonstoun, Peter was made head boy. He furthered his education at the University of Exeter, where he studied Sports Science.
Zara Tindall, daughter of Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips, attended Beaudesert Park School in Gloucestershire and Port Regis Prep School in Dorset, before following the path of her brother, uncle, and grandfather, in attending Gordounstoun. Furthering her education, she studied at the University of Exeter and qualified to be a physiotherapist.
Lady Louise and James, Earl of Wessex
Lady Louise attended St George’s School, Windsor Castle, a private preparatory school with a music focus before attending St Mary's School Ascot. Currently, she is attending the University of St Andrews studying English, the same University that Prince William attended.
James, Earl of Wessex, attended the co-ed preparatory school, Eagle House School, in Berkshire from 2011 until 2021. Due to privacy reasons not much is known of James’ current education, but he did join the private Radley College in Oxfordshire in 2021.
Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis
Prince George, at age 11, stands as the eldest son of Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Prince and Princess of Wales, and is second in line to the British throne. He began his education at Thomas’s School in Battersea, a well-known preparatory institution within the family-run network of Thomas’s London Day Schools, which also has branches in Kensington, Clapham, and Fulham. These schools are regarded as feeder schools for some of Britain’s most prestigious secondary institutions like Eton, Marlborough, and Harrow, among others.
Following their move from Kensington Palace to Adelaide Cottage in Windsor Home Park, Prince George, along with his younger siblings, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, transferred to Lambrook School. The decision to relocate the family from urban London to the Berkshire countryside marked a shift towards a more private and grounded upbringing for the Wales’ children.
Princess Charlotte, now 9, also attended Willcocks Nursery School in 2018 before joining her brother George at Thomas’s School. Similarly, Prince Louis, the youngest of the Wales’ children, attended Willcocks Nursery School before joining Lambrook.
The Wales’ family’s choices in education reflect William and Kate’s desire for consistency and unity. Each of their children has attended or currently attends the same institutions, indicating the couple’s focus on giving their children a shared experience and ensuring quality education alongside time spent as a family out of the public eye.
Lambrook School, with its sprawling 52-acre campus and esteemed reputation, provides an ideal environment for future working royals. Offering both boarding and day education, its fees are considerably expensive, ranging from £7,655 to £10,133 per term for boarders and £2,538 to £8,238 per term for day students. Yet, the school checks all the right boxes for William and Kate. It’s a short 15-minute drive from their home in Windsor, co-educational (meaning both daughter and sons can attend simultaneously), and “shares a similar ethos and values to Thomas’s," in a statement released by Kensington Palace. It also happens to be ranked a top UK prep school according to the Spear's Schools Index 2024.
One of the biggest questions looming over Prince George’s educational journey is his next step. At 11 years of age, Prince George could attend secondary school but instead will continue his education at Lambrook School, which educates children up until the age of 13. While the reasons remain private, some speculate that Kate Middleton’s recent cancer diagnosis could have influenced this choice, allowing the family to stay closely knit during such a difficult time. George’s secondary education is likely to begin in 2026, though it remains to be seen whether he will follow in the footsteps of his father and uncle by attending Eton or another institute.
The Balancing Act of Royal Education
The evolution of royal education reflects a gradual, thoughtful shift rather than a dramatic break from tradition. Over time, the monarchy has embraced more modern educational paths, with children now attending co-educational schools, Montessori nurseries, and even pursuing higher education at the university level. This shift also highlights a key change: parents within the royal family, such as Prince William and Kate Middleton, now have more autonomy over their children's schooling choices, marking a departure from earlier eras where the idea of “how does this impact the monarchy?’’ dictated these decisions. In this way, the royal family continues to balance tradition with progress. Instead of sending the young Wales’ children to traditional, far-away boarding schools, William and Kate have chosen to keep them closer to home, where they can grow up together. Though born into the institution of the monarchy, they are not yet bound by its responsibilities. At this stage, they are simply children, with parents who just happen to be royal. By prioritizing proximity and family time over the pressures of royal duty, the Wales family is fostering a sense of normalcy and togetherness, allowing their children to experience a childhood that, despite their unique circumstances, is centered around family rather than the demands of the Crown.
Reference Material
Prince Harry’s Memoir, Spare (2023)
Ingrid Stewert’s Royal Children (1993)
Eton College - www.etoncollege.com
Ludgrove School - www.ludgrove.net
Weatherby School - www.wetherbyschool.co.uk
Wetherby Pembridge Minors (Formally Jane Mynors’ Nursery School) - www.wetherbypembridgeminors.co.uk
BBC News — Student Prince Arrives at University (2001)
Gordonstoun — https://www.gordonstoun.org.uk
Spear’s Schools Index 2024 - https://spearswms.com/education/best-uk-prep-schools/
A letter from Kensington Palace regarding paparazzi harassment - https://www.royal.uk/letter-kensington-palace-regarding-paparazzi-harassment
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