Prince George is still a few years away from changing schools. He’s currently enjoying his time at Lambrook, which caters for pupils up to the age of 13.
But the million-dollar question on many royal watchers’ lips – when it comes to Prince William and Princess Kate’s children – is what school will the Waleses send their eldest son George, the future King, to?
The most recent report in the papers claimed that William and Kate have had a tour of St Edward’s School in Oxford – a £46,980-per-annum boarding school for boys and girls aged 13 to 18, affectionately known as ‘Teddies’.
It certainly ticks many boxes. It’s roughly an hour’s drive away from the Waleses’ family home in Windsor; it’s co-educational meaning that Princess Charlotte could also join her big brother George there when the time comes; plus, it has a very strong emphasis on community service, which are core to the royals’ ethos.
The school is headed by Warden Alastair Chirnside, a University of Oxford graduate who was given a “congratulatory first” at graduation – a rare form of recognition for only the most brilliant students.
His message on the school’s website, in part, would chime with William and Kate’s parenting ethos, as it reads: “There must be opportunity for all to take part and for all to excel. Children’s happiness and their ability to recognise what will make them happy are more important than anything else. Teachers need not only to impart knowledge and to teach skills, but also to allow children to be themselves.”
I caught up with Melanie Sanderson, education consultant and managing editor of The Good Schools Guide, who talked me through what would attract William and Kate to Teddies.
“It’s the million-dollar question,” Melanie laughed. “I get asked this all the time. ‘Where do I think William and Catherine will send the children?’ When it was just Marlborough College and Eton College on the table (Kate and William’s alma maters respectively), it all felt quite straightforward. But now all these other school names have been thrown into the mix, I don’t know.
“I can’t see why Teddies wouldn’t be a serious contender though. I can’t name names but there are a few people who are loosely connected to the royal family at Teddies, so it’s not as much of a rogue choice as it might appear.
“Obviously, it’s co-educational, and I think we’re getting that strong message that William and Catherine want to educate their three children together, or they’re certainly considering it very seriously.”
While Kate’s old boarding school Marlborough College was and still could be a possible option, there are reports that since the mother-of-three attended, and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, it’s become a bit too “flashy” for the Waleses’ liking.
“Teddies is very grounded, very understated,” said Melanie. “It’s classy, it’s not bling, it’s down-to-earth. It also has a very strong ethos of service and connection to the local community, which is core to what the royals do. We’re told that William and Catherine are trying to educate their children to understand their privilege. And I think Teddies is very, very strong on that.”
