A source claimed that George also “wasn’t keen on wearing tights and becoming a subject of ribaldry at school”, with the King allowing the Pages to wear trousers instead. “I imagine it will be all or nothing – in other words, all three will go away to school, or none of them.
Being part of one of the most famous families in the world certainly has its perks, but it could also have its drawbacks too. Prince George may be a young 11-year-old boy, but he’s also got a major responsibility ahead of him: being second in line to the British throne. Despite his monumental future, his parents decided to keep their son’s future from him and wanted him to have as normal as possible of an upbringing.
While the royals live a very public life, they have problems similar to anyone else’s. For the Wales family, one of those issues has been about their children’s future, and most recently, where George will attend school. I find it fascinating because the Princess is spending so much of her life talking about giving children a better start in life. As part of that, she and her advisers are discussing reducing inequality. Therefore, the choice of school for their oldest son and future king will tell us a lot about William and Catherine. They have always said they want to give their children a normal childhood, but if that’s the case, would they send them to a boarding school like Eton?
You remember when George was chosen to be a Page of Honor for King Charles’s coronation in May 2023? It was no doubt a huge honor for the then 9-year-old. However, the prince wanted one ancient royal tradition to be changed for the ceremony, which the king granted him, and it was to do with the outfits worn by the pages. He did not want to wear the white knee breaches, as he reportedly feared being teased at Lambrook, the school in Berkshire that he attends with his siblings, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. A source claimed that George also wasn’t keen on wearing tights and becoming a subject of rivalry at school. With the King allowing the pages to wear trousers instead, I imagine it will be all or nothing. In other words, all three will go to one school, or none of them.
I will be cheering loudly if they decide to keep their children close and nurture them through their adolescence as they’ve nurtured them through their young years. Because of his own experiences, it was evident that King Charles would not send his children to Gordonstoun, therefore William and the future king were able to stay in London, where he attended Eton College. Susan Cameron, the then headmistress of the school, said Catherine was unsettled and not particularly happy there. Even then, some claimed that the princess was simply too sensitive. Catherine may have felt like a fish out of water or unhappily not in the right place, Cameron added.
Certainly, I have no knowledge of any serious bullying at all, but there’s what everyone calls bullying, and then there’s actual real miserable bullying where someone has a dreadful time—that certainly didn’t happen. Yes, there would be teasing; it’s all part of the normal competition of growing up and establishing a pecking order. Girls are clicky by nature, and they can be rather cruel. If you’re attractive, too, that can be seen as rather a threat, and those who are slightly weaker or haven’t shown their strengths yet are the ones likely to end up being picked on or teased. I think it’s fair to say that she was unsettled and not particularly happy.
Maybe in Catherine’s case, she just kind of went quiet and didn’t say anything, the former headmistress continued. Later, she wouldn’t be the woman she is today. Ultimately, Miss Middleton ended up leaving and moving to another school, Marlborough College, with a tuition of £12,000 per year. This became her new home in 1996, and the then-future princess thrived there. This was also where she met her first boyfriend. Upon returning from the summer break when she was 16, it appeared that many things had changed for the princess. She had impressed many by being great at hockey and cross-country running. According to her former classmate Gemma Williamson, every boy in the school fancied her as she’d become an absolute beauty. Her former teacher, Denise Alfred, said that a significant change in her appearance was due to the childhood braces she had lost. Pippa was a tomboy, but Catherine had lost her braces and was looking stunning. She was apparently top for the fit list, which boys would sometimes pin on walls. Her confidence grew.