General News for the Cambridge Family 2: January 2015-March 2017 - Page 77

**Jacknch** · #**1521** 12-27-2016, 06:15 PM

Please note that posts relating to "Royal Hosting Etiquette" have been moved to the following thread:

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums...tte-23806.html

muriel · #**1522** 12-27-2016, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mirabel

Not just anyone can go there, though. The school reserves places for the children of alumni.
Also, if you read about it, the school apparently asks about your connections.
It's hinted that you need to drop names to get a place.

This won't pertain to George, of course, but I would be very surprised if he gets to meet anyone from a truly diverse background.

Most London schools, private or state, have a policy giving preference to siblings or children of current or former pupils.

Of the London day schools, Wetherby is not the most difficult to get into.

HereditaryPrincess · #**1523** 12-28-2016, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by muriel

Wetherby is just a "normal" central London private school. Most of these "normal" schools have children from a pretty diverse ethnic background, often of very different nationalities. Yes, as it is a fee paying school, often a lot of the parents are quite well off, but you often also have parents who are making personal sacrifices to send their children to these schools. That sad, the vast majority of the children have parents who are professionals often Accountants, Lawyers, Bankers and so on.

As someone who was privately educated for their primary and a large part of their secondary education, I think this is true. Originally, my family is working class though my mother wanted me to be privately educated as she believed it would be better for me (although it wasn't beneficial for me at all, and it's now lead me to not be in favour of the private system). She worked very hard to get me into those schools. At my primary school; there was a pretty even balance between "normal" students and wealthier students, though at my secondary school it was a bit more divided and I was one of the least well off students in my class. As you have said, so not all children who attend private schools come from upper class or aristocratic families; but I've observed that particularly in London there are also a large number of children who are from such families.

It seems that it's a tradition in the BRF for children to attend private and/or public school so in this instance I'm not opposed to George and most likely Charlotte being sent to one (as they are carrying on a family tradition); but I also hope that George (and Charlotte) will get to meet children from various walks of life.

TLLK · #**1524** 12-28-2016, 01:27 PM

I do believe that the issue of providing safety and security for the Cambridge kids, their classmates and the school staff will be one of the factors in determining a school. There might be a tendency to go with an institution that has already worked with the royal protection branch in the past.

Countessmeout · #**1525** 12-28-2016, 01:29 PM

There are varying degrees of private school. There are those which cost as low as 5000/year which is do able for lower income families with sacrifices and hard work. Then there are schools like Wetherby which three terms is about equally the average annual income in London. With only two scholarships, which are in the upper schools and split between several schools, there is also no financial aid..

As much as Diana tried, I wouldn't say her boys had much of a real diverse background. Going to fast food and amusement parks isn't interacting with people if diverse backgrounds, simply being within their vicinity. Hopefully we will see George and Charlotte involved in things like dance or scouts, where they can actually interact with different kids.

TLLK · #**1526** 12-28-2016, 01:42 PM

IMO William and Harry had their first real and meaningful contact with ordinary citizens of the UK when they entered Sandhurst and then went on active duty with the army and other military branches.

Skippyboo · #**1527** 12-28-2016, 02:15 PM

There would have been ordinary UK citizens at St Andrews.

MARG · #**1528** 12-28-2016, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pranter

I'm sure they will. Afterall Diana took her boys around 'regular' people quite often. I would be surprised if W&K don't do that too.

LaRae

Quote:

Originally Posted by TLLK

IMO William and Harry had their first real and meaningful contact with ordinary citizens of the UK when they entered Sandhurst and then went on active duty with the army and other military branches.

I don't think "visiting" homeless shelters or going for rides at a fun park qualify as "meaningful contact" with "ordinary" people. As far as I can see, then as now, it was nothing but photo ops just as William's famous "sleeping under a bridge" for a night was both a photo op and an insult. It turned "ordinary people" into strange people that are not like "us". In short, it was callous exploitation of said ordinary people fallen on hard times.

I do agree that their entree into the world of "ordinary people" citizens was the Army, Sandhurst not so much but definitely the units they were posted to on graduating. The other ranks were their first meaningful, day to day contact.

cepe · #**1529** 12-28-2016, 03:07 PM

University and the military - not really. Just more of the same and it is natural to gavitate towards people with similar interests.

Where they do meet and interact with "ordinary" people is through their charitable work. The homeless, drug addicts, old people, veterans, poor people, diff ethnicity or nationality or religion.

Skippyboo · #**1530** 12-28-2016, 03:32 PM

There is a whole variety of people that would have interacted with William while he was at St Andrews - people in his classes, on the sports teams he played, people who worked at the university, townspeople etc.

This people don't have to become life long friends but you are still interacting with the dining hall lady or the clerk in the corner shop.

He was exposed to regular people way more than his grandmother was ever was as a child and young adult

Countessmeout · #**1531** 12-28-2016, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cepe

University and the military - not really. Just more of the same and it is natural to gavitate towards people with similar interests.

Where they do meet and interact with "ordinary" people is through their charitable work. The homeless, drug addicts, old people, veterans, poor people, diff ethnicity or nationality or religion.

I would argue the people they play sports with, do class projects with, run into the mess hall with and more I'd more meaningful then the the minutes he may talk to a veteran or homeless person. Unlike his over priced boarding and private schools, both university and the military will have people of all walks of life. Yes they would share a sport in common, or a class in common, but that may be it. In military it wouldn't be who you gravitate towards. You train with everyone.

TLLK · #**1532** 12-28-2016, 03:57 PM

He was exposed to regular people way more than his grandmother was ever was as a child and young adult

I wholeheartedly agree that William and Harry had far more exposure to the ordinary citizens of the UK than their paternal grandmother.

Pranter · #**1533** 12-28-2016, 04:14 PM

I would say perhaps even more than Charles at that age.

LaRae

royal rob · #**1534** 12-28-2016, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pranter

I would say perhaps even more than Charles at that age.

LaRae

Oh yes much much more than Charles

Sent from my iPhone using The Royals Community

cepe · #**1535** 12-28-2016, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pranter

I would say perhaps even more than Charles at that age.

LaRae

As a Captain of a Minesweeper, he was responsible for the crew - people from all walks of life. Living in close quarters at sea gives plenty of insight and contact.

I also believe that its close contact with young people which led to the start of Prince's Trust when he left the Navy aged 27.

Pranter · #**1536** 12-28-2016, 04:22 PM

I don't consider 27 to be a 'young adult' really. But I said 'at that age' meaning their younger years thru college.

LaRae

cepe · #**1537** 12-28-2016, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pranter

I don't consider 27 to be a 'young adult' really. But I said 'at that age' meaning their younger years thru college.

LaRae

well he certainly started younger re acting on his experience than William

Pranter · #**1538** 12-28-2016, 04:32 PM

Charles has been the PoW since he was 16 (IIRC)...William will be in his 30's or maybe even close to 40 or so before he is ever PoW.

William followed a similar path as Charles except he has been working at a private job since military service was over....lots of contact with the real world doing that.

LaRae

cepe · #**1539** 12-28-2016, 04:36 PM

very true and its his work now in EAAA that has helped him choose his path for charitable causes.

Dee Anna · #**1540** 12-29-2016, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pranter

Charles has been the PoW since he was 16 (IIRC)...William will be in his 30's or maybe even close to 40 or so before he is ever PoW.

William followed a similar path as Charles except he has been working at a private job since military service was over....lots of contact with the real world doing that.

LaRae

William is 34 now, so very possibly could be well in his 40s if he ever becomes Prince of Wales, which he probably will; I believe it is not an automatic title?