Education of the Wales Children, Part 2, 2022 -

[HenRach Dominion]

Out of curiosity, are there any schools in Great Britain with a similar reputation as Eton that are primarily day schools? If not, what would the British public’s reaction be if the Wales children went to one of those schools as primarily day students?

 

[OidEtonian]

Out of curiosity, are there any schools in Great Britain with a similar reputation as Eton that are primarily day schools? If not, what would the British public’s reaction be if the Wales children went to one of those schools as primarily day students?

There are plenty, but most of them are still all-boys. Westminster allows girls for sixth form.

I don't think the reaction would be as bad as people think... Lambrook is a hybrid, where children can board whenever they choose, for all we know, the Wales' children could have already experienced the boarding environment.

 

[HRHHermione]

I can’t help but have a mental image of poor Louis rambling, forlorn and lonely, around Adelaide Cottage……

This brought to mind images of a young Macaulay Culkin absolutely thrilled to find himself Home Alone

 

[Alison H]

There are plenty of day schools with academic reputations which are as good as or better than Eton's, although they don't generally have quite the same level of prestige. The upper classes have historically preferred boarding schools, certainly for boys, and most of the top day schools were founded for the children of the middle classes. The exception's Westminster, which has already been mentioned, and takes both day pupils and boarding pupils.

I don't think anyone would have an issue with George going to one of those schools. But they're pretty much all in big cities, so it'd mean the Wales family moving back to London, which I don't think William and Catherine are keen to do. Even then, there'd be the issue of practicalities. Most kids would be travelling to and from school by public transport, but that probably wouldn't be seen as safe for George. So he'd have to be taken and collected by car every day, which, apart from setting him apart from his peers, would be great fun in the London traffic.

 

[Prinsara]

This brought to mind images of a young Macaulay Culkin absolutely thrilled to find himself Home Alone

For about an hour! Then he ended up really unhappy!

Louis seems like he would be quite a different character deprived of his audience. (In any case, he’d be with Nanny Maria or at school himself, so not quite having to booby-trap the house alone. )

 

[tommy100]

I think the only thing that can be said with certainty is that William and Catherine will choose a school based on what they think is best for their family. I expect the children's wishes will be taken into account as well, at least to some degree. I don't see William and Catherine forcing the children to go to a school they don't want to or end up being unhappy at.

I would not be surprised if George (and possibly Louis) go to Eton. But I would also not be surprised if the children go to a co-ed school and /or a school with a flexi-boarding plan.

I agree. I feel that unlike other royal parents in the past W&C would only choose schools they feel their children would feel comfortable at. Whilst I don't necessarily think it will be the case, I 100% think W&C would pick three different schools if they felt that was what was best for their children.

 

[Iluvbertie]

Yes Willam was following the Spencer tradition of going to Eton.

And the royal tradition.

Philip broke that tradition by sending his sons to Gordonstoun but other than them the tradition, since royals starting sending their sons to school was for it to be Eton. George V sent both Prince Henry and Prince George to Eton and they, in turn, had their sons attend Eton (Princes William, Richard, Edward and Michael and they in turn have sent their sons their.

 

[OidEtonian]

And the royal tradition.

Philip broke that tradition by sending his sons to Gordonstoun but other than them the tradition, since royals starting sending their sons to school was for it to be Eton. George V sent both Prince Henry and Prince George to Eton and they, in turn, had their sons attend Eton (Princes William, Richard, Edward and Michael and they in turn have sent their sons their.

Prince George, son of George V did not attend Eton.

 

[Moonmaiden23]

Is Prince George's Confirmation considered part of his education as future Head of the CoE?

IIRC, William was about 14-15 when he was confirmed, so George still has a few years.

What about First Holy Communion? How is that handled for British children in the CoE?

 

[Iluvbertie]

First Communion is usually done the Sunday after confirmation. I wonder whether George will be confirmed in a private ceremony - as his father was - or whether he will be done with his classmates as Harry was. William didn't want a media circus to overshadow the day for his class mates and so he was confirmed at St George's by the Archbishop of Canterbury while his classmates were confirmed at the Eton College Chapel.

 

[jesam]

I always assumed that if they went to boarding school, you’d really only see them during Christmas holiday and the summer holiday. But when I looked up Eton’s schedule for this year, it turns out he’ll actually be home quite often during the school year if he goes to Eton.

Weekends at home (per school year)

• Exeat weekends: 3 per term × 3 terms = 9 weekends home
• Long weekends: 1 per term × 3 terms = 3 weekends home
  Total weekends home during term time = 12 weekends
• B weekends: 5 B-weekends
  Parents can visit on campus; or short leave from campus; pupil stays at Eton overnight.
  
  Plus all vacation weekends at home (see below).

Weeks in school (boarding)

• Michaelmas Term: ~15 weeks
• Lent Term: ~9 weeks
• Summer Term: ~14 weeks
  Total in-school weeks = 38 weeks

Weeks of vacation

• Christmas (Nov–Jan): ~6 weeks
• Easter (Mar–Apr): ~7 weeks
• Summer (Jul–Sept): ~7 weeks
  Total vacation weeks = 20 weeks

Summary for one school year at Eton

• 38 weeks at school (boarding)
• 20 weeks vacation (home full-time)
• 12 weekends home during term time
• 5 B weekends Parents can visit on campus; or short leave from campus; pupil stays at Eton overnight

Term (Early Sept – Mid Nov, ~15 weeks)​

Week 1: Full school (boarding) / Weekend at school
Week 2: Full school (boarding) / B weekend (short leave, visitors allowed)
Week 3: Full school (boarding) / Exeat weekend (home)
Week 4: Full school (boarding) / Weekend at school
Week 5: Full school (boarding) / Weekend at school
Week 6: Full school (boarding) / Exeat weekend (home)
Week 7: Full school (boarding) / Weekend at school
Week 8: Full school (boarding) / B weekend (short leave, visitors allowed)
Week 9: Full school (boarding) / Exeat weekend (home)
Week 10: Full school (boarding) / Weekend at school
Week 11: Full school (boarding) / Weekend at school
Week 12: Full school (boarding) / Weekend at school
Week 13: Full school (boarding) / Weekend at school
Week 14: Full school (boarding) / Weekend at school
Week 15: Full school (boarding) / Weekend at school

Christmas Vacation (Mid Nov – Early Jan, ~6 weeks)

Week 16: Home full-time / No school, no weekend boarding
Week 17: Home full-time / No school, no weekend boarding
Week 18: Home full-time / No school, no weekend boarding
Week 19: Home full-time / No school, no weekend boarding
Week 20: Home full-time / No school, no weekend boarding
Week 21: Home full-time / No school, no weekend boarding

Lent Term (Early Jan – Early Mar, ~9 weeks)

Week 22: Full school (boarding) / Weekend at school
Week 23: Full school (boarding) / B weekend (short leave, visitors allowed)
Week 24: Full school (boarding) / Exeat weekend (home)
Week 25: Full school (boarding) / Weekend at school
Week 26: Full school (boarding) / Weekend at school
Week 27: Full school (boarding) / Exeat weekend (home)
Week 28: Full school (boarding) / Weekend at school
Week 29: Full school (boarding) / B weekend (short leave, visitors allowed)
Week 30: Full school (boarding) / Long weekend (extended leave, home)

Easter Vacation (Early Mar – Late Apr, ~7 weeks)

Week 31: Home full-time / No school, no weekend boarding
Week 32: Home full-time / No school, no weekend boarding
Week 33: Home full-time / No school, no weekend boarding
Week 34: Home full-time / No school, no weekend boarding
Week 35: Home full-time / No school, no weekend boarding
Week 36: Home full-time / No school, no weekend boarding
Week 37: Home full-time / No school, no weekend boarding

Summer Term (Late Apr – Mid Jul, ~14 weeks)

Week 38: Full school (boarding) / Weekend at school
Week 39: Full school (boarding) / Weekend at school
Week 40: Full school (boarding) / Exeat weekend (home)
Week 41: Full school (boarding) / Weekend at school
Week 42: Full school (boarding) / B weekend (short leave, visitors allowed)
Week 43: Full school (boarding) / Long weekend (extended leave, home)
Week 44: Home continuation of long weekend
Week 45: Full school (boarding) / Weekend at school
Week 46: Full school (boarding) / Weekend at school
Week 47: Full school (boarding) / Exeat weekend (home)
Week 48: Full school (boarding) / Weekend at school
Week 49: Full school (boarding) / Weekend at school
Week 50: Full school (boarding) / Weekend at school
Week 51: Full school (boarding) / Exeat weekend (home)

Summer Vacation (Mid Jul – Early Sept, ~7 weeks)

Week 52: Home full-time / No school, no weekend boarding
Week 53: Home full-time / No school, no weekend boarding
Week 54: Home full-time / No school, no weekend boarding
Week 55: Home full-time / No school, no weekend boarding
Week 56: Home full-time / No school, no weekend boarding
Week 57: Home full-time / No school, no weekend boarding
Week 58: Home full-time / No school, no weekend boarding

 

[tommy100]

Lambrook does similar and for the longer exeat weekend the family often go to Anmer, which they do for the holidays as well. I don't know for sure but given Lambrook is close to Eaton and set up as a feeder school or sorts for Eaton I wouldn't be surprised if they all line up.

I'm very surprised Eaton starts its Christmas holidays in mid November, I would have assumed December like a lot of other independent / public schools.

 

[muriel]

The timing is interesting to me - does it possibly suggest the children won't be going to boarding schools? If they have plans for the children to go to boarding schools I'd have thought the move to a much larger Windsor property a little unnecessary as in 6 years time all the children would be at boarding school - George this year, Charlotte in 3 then Louis in 6. But maybe they feel its worth it or needed for even that time.

If they go to boarding school, George and Charlotte will both go next year (Sep 2026) as boys typically go at 13+ and girls at 11+. But as set out above, they will be home often, and the family will still need a spacious home. I suspect Adelaide Cottage was always a temporary set up, as it is really not large enough to be a royal home with 3 growing children.

 

[tommy100]

Marlborough College is 13+ which is where I've always thought Charlotte will end up but yes a number of others do take from 11+, though often have a big intake at 13+ as well.

I suppose my thinking is, they've survived this long with all of them at Adelaide, moving when one or two of the kids will be at boarding school a lot of the time doesn't seem to tie with 'not having enough space' to me. TBH I always assumed if the children went to boarding school W&C would move back to Kensington Palace for in the week, weekends at Anmer which would be big enough for home visits / B weekends from Eaton and Anmer for holidays and exeat weekends. But W&C like to do things their way and that is fair enough.

 

[jesam]

If they go to boarding school, George and Charlotte will both go next year (Sep 2026) as boys typically go at 13+ and girls at 11+. But as set out above, they will be home often, and the family will still need a spacious home. I suspect Adelaide Cottage was always a temporary set up, as it is really not large enough to be a royal home with 3 growing children.

I have looked it up, and that is not what I am reading. Charlotte will also go to boarding school at 13 if they choose that path. However, they will still be home fairly often. For a future head of state, in my opinion, that is not very big. If you look at the houses that Anne, Edward, and Andrew have, there are significant differences in the size of their homes and grounds. Charles really should have secured two homes for his sons a long time ago.

 

[muriel]

I have looked it up, and that is not what I am reading. Charlotte will also go to boarding school at 13 if they choose that path.

What schools are you looking at? Most girls schools (Wycombe Abbey, Cheltenham Ladies, Roedean) have 11+ as their main point of entry. Marlborough, as it is co-ed, is the rare school that has 13+ as the main point of entry for girls.

 

[jesam]

What schools are you looking at? Most girls schools (Wycombe Abbey, Cheltenham Ladies, Roedean) have 11+ as their main point of entry. Marlborough, as it is co-ed, is the rare school that has 13+ as the main point of entry for girls.

I looked it up at Marlborough. Since George is starting at 13, it seems unlikely they would send Charlotte two years earlier.

 

[Kaye1850]

^^^ Summary for one school year at Eton

• 38 weeks at school (boarding)
• 20 weeks vacation (home full-time)^^^

Thank you for detailed summary Jesam, but I don’t understand the 58 week year?

 

[Alison H]

I looked it up at Marlborough. Since George is starting at 13, it seems unlikely they would send Charlotte two years earlier.

Marlborough is an exception. Public schools for boys usually start at 13, but similar schools for girls start at 11. Yes, it's possible to join higher up the school, but it creates disadvantages - the pupil will then have to adapt to the school's curriculum, and other kids will already have formed friendship groups by then. It's normal in public school families for boys to go at 13 but their sisters to go at 11.

 

[jesam]

^^^ Summary for one school year at Eton

• 38 weeks at school (boarding)
• 20 weeks vacation (home full-time)^^^

Thank you for detailed summary Jesam, but I don’t understand the 58 week year?

Good catch. I used AI. Have done it again (Hopefully AI dit it ok this time. But you get the picture):

Michaelmas Term (Early September – Mid November, ~9 weeks)​

Calendar Week	Weekday Status	Weekend Status
36 (1–7 Sep)	Full school (boarding)	Weekend at school
37 (8–14 Sep)	Full school (boarding)	Weekend at school
38 (15–21 Sep)	Full school (boarding)	Weekend at home (exeat)
39 (22–28 Sep)	Full school (boarding)	Weekend at school
40 (29 Sep–5 Oct)	Full school (boarding)	Weekend at school
41 (6–12 Oct)	Full school (boarding)	Weekend at home (exeat)
42 (13–19 Oct)	Full school (boarding)	Weekend at school
43 (20–26 Oct)	Full school (boarding)	Weekend at school (B weekend)
44 (27 Oct–2 Nov)	Full school (boarding)	Weekend at home (exeat)
45 (3–9 Nov)	Full school (boarding)	Weekend at school

Holiday: Mid November – Early January (~6 weeks)

Calendar Week	Status
46–51 (10 Nov–21 Dec)	Home full-time (Christmas vacation)
52 (22–28 Dec)	Home full-time
1 (29 Dec–4 Jan)	Home full-time

---

Lent Term (Early January – Early March, ~8 weeks)​

Calendar Week	Weekday Status	Weekend Status
2 (5–11 Jan)	Full school (boarding)	Weekend at school
3 (12–18 Jan)	Full school (boarding)	Weekend at school
4 (19–25 Jan)	Full school (boarding)	Weekend at home (exeat)
5 (26 Jan–1 Feb)	Full school (boarding)	Weekend at school
6 (2–8 Feb)	Full school (boarding)	Weekend at school
7 (9–15 Feb)	Full school (boarding)	Weekend at home (exeat)
8 (16–22 Feb)	Full school (boarding)	Weekend at school (B weekend)
9 (23 Feb–1 Mar)	Full school (boarding)	Weekend at home (exeat)

Holiday: Early March – Late April (~7 weeks)

Calendar Week	Status
10–16 (2 Mar–19 Apr)	Home full-time

---

Summer Term (Late April – Mid July, ~9 weeks)​

Calendar Week	Weekday Status	Weekend Status
17 (20–26 Apr)	Full school (boarding)	Weekend at school
18 (27 Apr–3 May)	Full school (boarding)	Weekend at school
19 (4–10 May)	Full school (boarding)	Weekend at home (exeat)
20 (11–17 May)	Full school (boarding)	Weekend at school
21 (18–24 May)	Full school (boarding)	Weekend at school
22 (25–31 May)	Full school (boarding)	Weekend at home (exeat)
23 (1–7 Jun)	Full school (boarding)	Weekend at school (B weekend)
24 (8–14 Jun)	Full school (boarding)	Weekend at school
25 (15–21 Jun)	Full school (boarding)	Weekend at home (exeat)

Holiday: Mid July – Early September (~8 weeks)

Calendar Week	Status
26–33 (22 Jun–14 Sep)	Home full-time

---

Summary (Calendar week perspective):

• Total school weeks: ~26
• Total weekends home (exeat/B/long weekends): ~12–13
• Total holiday weeks at home: ~26–27

 

[jesam]

Marlborough is an exception. Public schools for boys usually start at 13, but similar schools for girls start at 11. Yes, it's possible to join higher up the school, but it creates disadvantages - the pupil will then have to adapt to the school's curriculum, and other kids will already have formed friendship groups by then. It's normal in public school families for boys to go at 13 but their sisters to go at 11.

Could be, but there are no rumors or tabloids suggesting that Charlotte will also go to boarding school in the coming school year, like there have been for George.

 

[tommy100]

Looking at the term dates for this year Eaton works out as around 19 and a bit weeks off, 32 and a bit weeks in school. There are 5 exeat weekends ("short leave" in Eaton terminology) which are basically 3 day weekends and then 5 "B weekends" where George would be able to leave after commitments on a Saturday morning and return by 6.15pm on a Sunday.

Based on what the Wales seem to do now they would probably go to Anmer for exeat weekends and the 19 weeks not in school anyway (or go on holiday somewhere for the longer school holidays).

I suppose to me if they are still using Anmer I don't see a huge need for a new house at Windsor. That said, the only real difficulty is that they chose a small house at first, seemingly have shown they can live in it well and now at a time when its possible they'll have fewer people in the house for most of the time they are upsizing. If they'd have moved into Forest Lodge first I guess it would have avoided this and there is a part of me that I suppose feels a bit misled that either they spun it to the media, or certainly allowed the media to spin it, that Adelaide was plenty big enough for them, that no additional work was being done etc and now are seemingly going in the opposite direction now.

That just my thoughts, as they are paying for it themselves they can do as they please.

 

[PrincessofEurope]

I am starting to wonder if the kids will not follow the boarding path route hence the larger base at Forest Lodge - nothing says that they have to do this. Maybe the path will be a day school in the Windsor area - didn't the Wessex/Edinburgh kids do this for a number of years.

 

[tommy100]

Yes this is my thoughts too. A bigger house if you have decided they are going to be boarding seems a bit off to me. Unless W&C were never happy with the size of the house. IMO whilst is doesn’t by any means rule out boarding it may be a hint they’ve decided a different path. There are a lot of good schools with day options around Windsor. Its only really Eaton and Malborough that don’t encourage day pupils.

 

[muriel]

Yes this is my thoughts too. A bigger house if you have decided they are going to be boarding seems a bit off to me. Unless W&C were never happy with the size of the house. IMO whilst is doesn’t by any means rule out boarding it may be a hint they’ve decided a different path. There are a lot of good schools with day options around Windsor. Its only really Eaton and Malborough that don’t encourage day pupils.

Entirely possible. But my understanding is that William and Catherine both enjoyed their school years, and probably want the same for their children.

The size of Adelaide Cottage may be an issue, if it was only 4 bedrooms. That would leave no spare bedrooms for grandparents or other friends visiting. I suspect William has plenty of uniforms and Catherine plenty of clothes that need storing, which are probably stored at Windsor or KP. It may well be time for them to have a home that can accommodate all of this comfortably.

 

[Blog Real]

What schools do George, Charlotte, and Louis currently attend?

 

[HRHHermione]

What schools do George, Charlotte, and Louis currently attend?

They are all at Lambrook school

 

[yukari]

After school insider claimed that George is set to attend Eton few months ago, now another school insider claims that he'll go to Marlborough.

Prince George is set to go to Marlborough, but is it the right school for him?

The Waleses have faced a difficult choice over where to send their eldest son, but the rumour mill suggests that a decision has been reached

www.telegraph.co.uk

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Somehow I have a feeling that come September, it would turn out to be neither.