Prince George will start his final year at his current school in September, meaning it is crunch time for a decision on whether to follow in Prince William’s footsteps and go to Eton.
The future king is currently studying at co-educational prep school Lambrook in the Berkshire countryside. However, George, who turns 12 in July, does not have long left to decide with his parents, Prince William and Princess Kate, where to pursue his education next.
William and Prince Harry attended the all-boys boarding school Eton College, while Kate attended co-educational Marlborough College, having had a tough time at an all-girls school.
In 2023, the British press reported that William and Kate would choose to send their son to Marlborough before pivoting to Eton in January 2024.
There were then reports they had virtually decided on Marlborough, and staff were simply working out where to house George in January. However, Kate was reportedly spotted visiting two North London schools, Highgate and University College School, in January and February.
In short, it is still anyone’s guess where the Wales family plans to take George after his final year at Lambrook, with positives and negatives for many options.
Eton College
Eton is an all-boys school, meaning his little sister Charlotte would not be able to join him there later. However, Prince William excelled at Eton in his studies and sports, where he captained the swimming team, as well as socially, getting elected to the coveted position of prefect.
Prince Harry, however, did not. In his book Spare, he described feeling intimidated and out of his depth: “Heaven for brilliant boys, it could thus only be purgatory for one very
unbrilliant boy.
“The situation became undeniably obvious during my very first French lesson. I was astounded to hear the teacher conducting the entire class in rapid, nonstop French. He assumed, for some reason, that we were all fluent.”
“Once or twice I’d confess to a teacher or fellow student that I wasn’t merely in the wrong class but in the wrong location,” he added. “I was in way, way over my head.”
Were George an ordinary pupil, he would have had to apply to Eton at age 10 and sit an exam in October or November of year six, which would have been in 2023.
The palace said that Kate had pulled out of attending Prince William’s Earthshot Prize ceremony in Singapore in November 2023 because George had exams, and “the Princess wants to be at home to support him.”
There was never any confirmation at the time whether the exams were for Eton.
Ingrid Seward, author of the royal book My Mother and I told Newsweek: “Eton would be very overbearing if [George is] not that intellectual. I would just think Eton’s a bit unlikely somehow.”
One advantage, though, is that it is very close to Adelaide Cottage, the royal family’s home within the grounds of Windsor Castle.
Marlborough College
Many have considered Princess Kate’s alma mater the most likely option since she is said to have enjoyed her time there.
The coed boarding school in Wiltshire is around an hour from their home in Windsor and could accommodate all three of their children, meaning no separate arrangements would need to be made for Charlotte.
“I still think Marlborough would be the top,” Seward said, “because all three children could go there, and then they’re not such a burden on the taxpayer due to the security that has to be with them all the time.
“I think he’ll go to Marlborough. It’s coed, and that’s where Kate was, that’s where Pippa was, that’s where James was,” she said, referring to Kate’s siblings.
“It’s not a million miles from where they are and it’s the freedom. If all the three kids are at the same school that cuts the burden of security.”
Highgate School and University College School
Reports circulated in January and February that Kate had visited these two prestigious north London private day schools. The Mail praised them as options because they are renowned for teaching drama.
However, it would be a surprise decision for the Wales family, who had only recently moved away from London.
There is nothing to stop them from moving back, but the shift was seen as a logical step away from a royal residence widely regarded as a goldfish bowl in which the royals are instantly surrounded by tourists the minute they step out.
“I would be so surprised if they put him in a London school,” Seward said of George. “Boys just need space and London schools, however wonderful they may be, you do not get that freedom.”
UCS, for example, might present challenges particular to a prince as its website states: “Our state-of-the-art playing fields are just a short walk from the main school site in Hampstead.”
The idea of a future king walking a mile down public London streets regularly might be viewed as a security risk by his police protection team.
Highgate also has impressive sports facilities that appear to be around half a mile away from the main school building through built-up residential neighborhoods full, no doubt, of people who would easily recognize Britain’s most famous school pupils.
One advantage, though, would be that they are not boarding schools.
“Kate is probably worried about him boarding,” Seward said.
She remained unconvinced, however: “I would be absolutely stunned if he went to a London day school.”
