The debate over where to send Prince George, after prep school has reportedly sparked emotional discussions between the royal couple, with sources claiming that the Princess of Wales is devastated as the heir to the British throne prefers for their 11-year-old son to follow in his footsteps.
Prince George and his siblings Princess Charlotte, nine, and Prince Louis, six, currently attend Lambrook School, a £47,000-a-year preparatory institution near their Berkshire home. The future monarchs moved the royal children from Thomas’s Battersea to Lambrook in 2022 to give them a “normal” life and for the couple to be “active parents” to their brood, according to CNN.
The transfer proved to be the right choice for the family of five since Lambrook is near their home, Adelaide Cottage. This proximity gave them stability during turbulent times, such as Princess Kate’s recent battle with cancer. While the Duchess of Cambridge was receiving treatment, the kids were still able to carry out schooling and normal-day activities.
“When Kate was in hospital, George was on the football pitch playing with his friends. That sense of normality, of keeping the family going at one of the hardest times they’ve ever gone through, was important. The school gives them a great infrastructure and a great network and allows the children to live a regular childhood — a low-key, happy, albeit privileged childhood,” royal expert Katie Nicholl told The Mirror.
But with Lambrook only catering to students up to age 13, the clock is ticking on where the second in line to the throne should go next once he is done attending the prep school — and the stakes couldn’t be higher as both Prince William and Princess Kate want a different thing for their son.
Prince William reportedly has his heart set on Prince George attending Eton College, the elite single-sex boarding school he attended and fondly re. The school has long been associated with the aristocracy and royal family, offering a pedigree that matches the royal child’s destiny as a future king.
On the contrary, Kate’s preference couldn’t be more different. Royal sources told The Mirror that the Princess of Wales would rather see Prince George enrolled at a mixed-sex school like Marlborough College in Wiltshire, her alma mater.
“Kate’s preference is for George to be at a co-education school, so he can be with his siblings, which is what Kate experienced at Marlborough with her sister, Pippa, and brother, James,” Nicholl explained before adding, “It was a very happy school life for her, but William has very fond memories of Eton, which has a long history with aristocrats and of the royal family.”
The discourse between the royal couple is reportedly taking a toll on Princess Kate, who views Eton as too “stuffy” for her son. Prince George himself is said to be warming to the idea of Eton, but insiders claim the Duchess of Cambridge remains deeply unsettled by the notion. Nevertheless, the final decision will come from both parents, and they will have the young prince’s “best interests factored in,” as per Nicholl. Whatever the royal couple’s final decision, it’s clear the choice will shape not only Prince George’s future but also the entire Royal Family’s image.
Published: Dec 1, 2024 07:30 am