In June, Prince William and Kate took their eldest child on a tour of Eton. Eton is the go-to boarding school for every posh boy in the UK, it’s the school for future prime ministers, kings and captains of industry. The connections formed at Eton can last a lifetime. It’s really funny, then, that most of William’s Eton friends are just, like, club promoters and well-heeled snobs. Still, the establishment demands that Prince George go to Eton, and it’s more than likely that he will go there in a few years. Kate is said to be pretty broken up about it and she and William have been “arguing for years” about it. She’s built her entire work-shy image around being a “hands-on mother” who must be available for every single school run. Kate doesn’t really want any of her kids to go to boarding school, she would prefer her kids to be “day students” at some posh school, like her alma mater, Marlborough. Speaking of, Kate was seen visiting Marlborough recently, per Richard Eden’s column in the Mail:
Having endured two miserable terms at Downe House where, it has been said, she was the target of school bullies, Kate Middleton was delighted to arrive at Marlborough College in the 1990s. She excelled in the classroom as well as on the sports field before she went on to St Andrews University, where she met Prince William. Now, I can reveal, the Princess of Wales has made a secret return visit to her beloved alma mater.
‘Catherine was here the other day,’ a source at the £46,995-per-year boarding school in Wiltshire tells me. ‘It’s been the talk of the school.’ Parents speculate that the Princess may be thinking about sending her elder son, Prince George, to co-educational Marlborough, where her sister, Pippa, and brother, James, were also pupils. Princess Eugenie, Samantha Cameron and comedian Jack Whitehall are among its other alumnae.
George, aged ten, is in Year 6 at Lambrook prep school in Berkshire, but was recently spotted looking around Eton College with his family ahead of a potential move there. His father attended Eton, as did his uncle, Prince Harry, who wrote in his memoirs, Spare, about how it was the wrong choice of school for him.
Catherine will not join William in Singapore for the Earthshot Prize awards next month because Prince George has school exams that week. For the first time since launching the environmental award, the Prince will fly solo when he heads to Asia. A Kensington Palace source confirmed that the Princess wanted to remain at home to support their elder son. All applicants for Year 9 sit an online pre-test in the autumn term of Year 6, either at their current school or at an agreed centre. Eton also requests a head teacher’s report covering a boy’s academic strengths, interests and character.
Pupils are then chosen to go forward to the second stage, an assessment later in the academic year before successful candidates are offered a conditional place, pending an entrance exam sat in Year 8. Similar tests are held at around the same time for applicants to Marlborough College.
It’s sort of cute that Kate thinks that she could get away with sending George to Marlborough. She’s not going to win that battle, even though she got her way about the kids’ early education. I’ve always believed that Kate got her way because A) William truly did not give a sh-t and B) because she would eventually have to send the kids to boarding school when they turn 12/13. Anyway, it’s also possible that she wants Charlotte to go to her alma mater, and there’s a good chance Kate would get her way on that. But George is going to Eton. At least she gets two more years of not doing anything because of “the school run” and “preparing George for Eton.”
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red and Cover Images.
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- The Prince and Princess of Wales with Prince George and Princess Charlotte arrive on day fourteen of the 2023 Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon. RESTRICTIONS: Editorial use only. No commercial use without prior written consent of the AELTC. Still image use only – no moving images to emulate broadcast. No superimposing or removal of sponsor/ad logos.,Image: 789477005, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Editorial use only. No commercial use without prior written consent of the AELTC. Still image use only – no moving images to emulate broadcast. No superimposing or removal of sponsor/ad logos., *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Victoria Jones / Avalon
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- The Prince and Princess of Wales with Prince George, Princess Charlotte arrive on day fourteen of the 2023 Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon. RESTRICTIONS: Editorial use only. No commercial use without prior written consent of the AELTC. Still image use only – no moving images to emulate broadcast. No superimposing or removal of sponsor/ad logos.,Image: 789477112, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Editorial use only. No commercial use without prior written consent of the AELTC. Still image use only – no moving images to emulate broadcast. No superimposing or removal of sponsor/ad logos., *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Victoria Jones / Avalon
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- Sittingbourne, Kent, UK, 27 September 2023: HRH The Princess of Wales joins a family portage session at the Orchards Centre, Multi Agency Service Hub in Sittingbourne, Kent to highlight the importance of supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities and their families. The session is ran by the Kent Portage Team. Photo: HRH with 3 yr old Beatrice. ***NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS***,Image: 808853656, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: ***NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS***, *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Paul Grover / Avalon
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- Sittingbourne, Kent, UK, 27 September 2023: HRH The Princess of Wales joins a family portage session at the Orchards Centre, Multi Agency Service Hub in Sittingbourne, Kent to highlight the importance of supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities and their families. The session is ran by the Kent Portage Team. ***NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS***,Image: 808854076, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: ***NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS***, *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Paul Grover / Avalon
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- Sittingbourne, Kent, UK, 27 September 2023: HRH The Princess of Wales joins a family portage session at the Orchards Centre, Multi Agency Service Hub in Sittingbourne, Kent to highlight the importance of supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities and their families. The session is ran by the Kent Portage Team. ***NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS***,Image: 808854205, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: ***NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS***, *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Paul Grover / Avalon
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- CARDIFF, WALES – OCTOBER 03: Catherine, Princess of Wales visits Fitzalan High School as she celebrates the beginning of Black History Month on October 03, 2023 in Cardiff, Wales. In celebration of the 75th anniversary of the arrival of HMT Empire Windrush, the Prince and Princess of Wales will hear from pupils about the work they have been doing around black history.,Image: 810535032, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Chris Jackson / Avalon
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- Britain’s Kate, the Princess of Wales, speaks to young people as she participates in a series of workshops which focus on emotions, relationships and community action at Factory Works in Birmingham, England, Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023. The Prince and Princess host the forum for young people on World Mental Health Day.,Image: 812603743, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Kirsty Wigglesworth / Avalon
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- Britain’s Kate, the Princess of Wales, holds a speech after she participated in a series of workshops which focus on emotions, relationships and community action at Factory Works in Birmingham, England, Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023. The Prince and Princess host the forum for young people on World Mental Health Day.,Image: 812604055, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Kirsty Wigglesworth / Avalon
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- Britain’s Kate, the Princess of Wales, holds a speech after she participated in a series of workshops which focus on emotions, relationships and community action at Factory Works in Birmingham, England, Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023. The Prince and Princess host the forum for young people on World Mental Health Day.,Image: 812604092, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Kirsty Wigglesworth / Avalon
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- Traveling along The Mall in a carriage at Trooping The Colour. Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales, Prince George Where: London, United Kingdom When: 17 Jun 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- King Charles III leads members of The Royal Family on his first Trooping the Colour, the monarch’s official birthday parade Featuring: Prince William of Wales Catherine Princess of Wales with Prince George, Princess Charlotte Prince Louis Where: London, United Kingdom When: 17 Jun 2023 Credit: Dutch Press Photo/Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE NETHERLANDS OR FRANCE**
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- The Prince and Princess of Wales during a visit to the Grange Pavilion in Cardiff to meet with members from the Windrush Cymru Elders, Black History Cymru 365, and the Ethnic Minority Youth Forum for Wales, and hear about the contribution the Windrush generation has had on the Welsh community and learn about how young minority ethnic individuals are creating positive change. Featuring: Catherine, Princess of Wales Where: Cardiff, United Kingdom When: 02 Oct 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
Is it really “the” school of future kings? My understanding is that William and Harry were the first princes to go there. Charles went to Gordonstoun, no? And I believe QEII was educated at home. Absolutely it’s where posh kids go but I don’t think there is an extended history of the heir attending.
I think all the monarchs before Charles were tutored at home. It seems to me that Eton’s the place if you want to become prime minister.
Well, there is also royal prestige and tradition associated with the fact that Eton College was founded by King Henry VI in 1440, as “Kynges College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore.” (i.e., built next to Windsor Castle). A reference covering the history of Eton indicates that, “Henry VI made provision for 70 poor boys, known as King’s Scholars, to be housed and educated at Eton, free of charge.” So there’s a bit of the history.
I think Chuck may have attended Eton, if not for Philip’s overbearing insistence upon sending uber sensitive Chuck to harsh, physically and mentally rigorous, Gordounston.
George V and his elder brother had a tutor but were sent off to the naval training ship Britannia (not the royal yacht) as young children. George didn’t have any real former training until his brother’s death in 1892.
Edward VIII and George VI similarly had a tutor but also attended Dartmouth Naval school as boys. Their brother Henry, and maybe George (Duke of Kent) went to Eton.
The queen was home educated but her education also included private tutor sessions with the Eton College provost.
^^ I believe the Eton private tutoring sessions for Princess Elizabeth only occurred after government officials discovered that Elizabeth’s parents had neglected to give her an academic education. 👀😳 So, at the age of 13, Elizabeth was quickly given private lessons about British history and politics. Meanwhile, Margaret was left out of this academic enrichment. 🙄
Charles famously hated Gordonstoun, although Prince Pedo and Prince Edward attended the school, as did Peter Philips and Zara Tindall. Both Charles and Diana pushed for Eton. It was close to Windsor and her brother attended the school.
To Elizabeth
You are right.
Eton was indeed created by a king, Henry VI in 1440, but very little royalty ever graced its doors.
The tradition was home education and then the Royal Navy at age 12 or 13, which is what Queen Elizabeth’s father, Bertie, her uncle David & grandfather George did ( the future George V, Edward VII, George VI)
Queen Elizabeth’s cousins went to Et6, that is Richard of Gloucester, Edward of Kent and Michael of Kent.
Queen Mum pleaded with her daughter Elizabeth and with prince Philip to send Charles there, but they both thought it was too close to Windsor and Philip, who had adored Gordonstoun sent his 3 sons there.
Diana’s brother, Charles Spencer went to Eton
Several of Queen Victoria’s grandsons and foreign royal contemporaries attended Wellington. They were the first British royals to not just have tutors but attend school instead.
Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester (younger brother of Edward VIII and George VI) was the first prince to attend school. He was originally tutored at home but his tutor persuaded King George V that boarding school would be good for Henry to interact with other boys his age. The future King Leopold III of Belgium was his classmate at Eton, and Prince Henry used this connection to influence Leopold to stand firm against the Nazis when they invaded Belgium during WWII.
The Spencer men were usually Eton-educated, including Diana’s father and brother.
Pictures or it didn’t happen. I think she is just putting out there that is where she would like George to go but he is the heir and will go where heirs have gone before him like his father. Maybe it’s to combat the sexy hunk single dad 💩 that Peg is putting out.
Eh, when all the kids are in boarding school, maybe Kate can find herself a side- piece, so there’s that.
Diana’s father also attended Eton. On the royal side the late Queen’s uncle, the Duke of Gloucester, attended Eton and sent his sons there. The current Duke of Kent attended Eton and his two sons attended the school. It’s likely that Gloucester and Kent grandsons are Etonians too. It’s well known that Charles hated Gordonston and Eton would be one of the few things he and Diana agreed on.
Marlborough fees would have cost the Middletons in the region of half a million to educate three children there even allowing for reduced fees for siblings.
We homeschool so have never done the school run.
But many of our friends do and have. And it seems to be just a part of a normal day? Drop them off, then go to work?
And almost no parents can pick up their kids immediately after school since the school day was devised in the 1800’s when many kids had chores to do after school. Or to just think and decompress. So they pick them up from after care or have them picked up by an older family member.
Or in Kates case by security and/ or the nanny.
Her kids “early years” are over right so now she can considered them baked and done. No more parenting to do.
I truly don’t understand the school run. It clogs up the neighborhood and creates a traffic hazard and is terrible for air quality with all of the parents idling their cars puffing exhaust fumes in long lines that stretch away down the street. I get it if you are in private school where there is no bus service, but for public school, why can’t children all just go home on the bus…
My hometown got rid of bussing in the early 90s. So the public school run has become a school mess with all parents dropping off their kids at 3 elementary schools and middle/high school (they’re in one giant complex and not separate buildings in different parts of town). I’m amazed at the amount of kids who live right by the school (talking middle school and up) who could easily walk but who get driven the 30 seconds to the school campus by their parents because they’re simply too lazy to walk.
I grew up in California and we didn’t have school buses for public schools. Some private schools had them though.
Our school district has a bus driver shortage, students are often late to class. Sometimes the bus doesn’t show up at the bus stop at all.
It varies by school district. In my part of California, schools bus. When I was in high school I took the bus because I was at a certain distance away from school. Where I used to teach, if elementary school students had to cross a busy street, they were bussed. The schools near me are chaos before and after school. So many cars and lots of darting across the street. Very dangerous. But you know, it’s so exhausting for Cant, sitting in the car, opening and closing the door. It would be interesting to know, exactly, how many times she actually drops off/picks up her children.
There are no buses here in our district in So Cal, unless you’re special needs. So if you don’t live within walking distance you drive. We are fortunate to be close to our elementary and middle schools but we are in a carpool for our high school.
so my kids go to public school and take the bus, and even if I drove them….its a mile away.
For private schools its different, because a lot of the students don’t live that locally and so there is either a carpool or the parents drive on their way to work or the SAH parent drives etc.
But I have never heard so much talk about the school run as we hear with these two.
Our kids go to public school, but they attend a magnet school, so no buses are available. Also, our county does not provide a bus if you live within two miles of your school, and lots of people do actually live reasonably close to the schools their kids attend. Two miles is too far to walk, though, especially in the Florida heat. So the school run is very much a thing for most people I know.
I actually really value getting to do the school run with my kids every day. On the way in we chat about what we did the evening before, maybe a movie we watched together or a new food we tried for dinner. It gives me a chance to issue any reminders about things they need to do that day. And getting to wish them luck on their math test as they leave the car makes me happy. When I pick them we have time to chat about their homework load for the evening, how their day was, etc… before we get home and they vanish into their bedrooms. Sometimes we stop for a treat on the way home from school. Honestly, I love it. It’s a really nice chance to chat and connect every day. I’ll miss it when they’re old enough to drive themselves.
Not having school buses available or public transit really scrams privilege more than anything because it means one of the parents, usually the mother, ends up having no job or one that requires flexibility for this. Working class parents with fixed work schedules often don’t have that luxury to leave work before 4 pm to be at school.
Also parents can ask their kids about their day once they get home. It doesn’t need to be done in a car.
William and Kate don’t work long days that a school run should affect their level of work. It’s an excuse they both use to do less.
Yeah she’s lost the battle for George but probably won it for Charlotte. That’s probably why she was visiting Marlborough. It’s never too late to let the school know that she wants her daughter to go there.
Pretty sure she could call the day the school starts and say she wants Charlotte to attend and they’d make the space. I think it’s more likely to counter the stories that William “won” the battle of Eton. I think she wants it out there that they’re still looking and she has some input.
That’s true. Eton doesn’t let girls in, so Charlotte will need somewhere to go. Although, I can see Kate being self-centered enough to think that if it worked for her, Charlotte will have to go through the same education. Instead of looking for a different, better education that’s suited to Charlotte’s interests or her future.
It sounds like she did this visit to make it look like she has decision making ability when the reality is that William wouldn’t care where Charlotte goes because she’s not the heir. And it’s possible he may not care about Louis either.
When did the story come out about W&K fighting over Eton? If this visit was after that story* then I think this is about Kate pretending she has decision making power. but if the stories overlap more than I think this is just about Kate making clear that Charlotte goes to Marlborough.
*of course just the timing could be interesting too. Maybe we’re hearing about this visit now to provide cover for the whole Eton thing.
I know Kaiser picks out particularly wacked-out pics of Kate but this articles’ selection…my lord. The grimacing, twitching, bulging eyes, clenched jaw. Even the constant hair twirling. It just…really paints a picture many of us are familiar with. Grateful I don’t have to worry about looking like that anymore.
When she was stalking William, it probably never occurred to her what being his wife and sharing children with him (and the Crown) would mean for her as a mother. Pippa has it way, way better.
I know it was said here a lot last week but AS IF Kate doesn’t want George to go to Eton. Her mother is first and foremost a social climber and if that family can get into Eton without lifting a finger, you’d better believe they are sending George there. It would certainly clear the path for Pippa’s son too.
1000%
Out of all the kids I do believe that Billy is closest to Charlotte. While Kate may want her daughter to go to her alma mater, I know Billy will have his say and if he agrees to Charlotte going there she will have to board so its consistent.
Eton is an all boys school so charlotte won’t go there. Kate will probably get her way with Charlotte’s education. Especially since they are working hard to morph her into some sort of a mini kate.
I have to laugh at how Eden says, “Now, I can reveal, the Princess of Wales has made a secret return visit to her beloved alma mater.” Like he knew about it all along, but a state secrecy act prevented him from revealing this shocking fact to the general public.
That made me laugh, too, Eurydice. So groundbreaking.
Like a columnist from the 50s! 🤣
Not buying it. If Charlotte was along it might make sense. Kate is laying on a beach somewhere, not at Englands rugby game, not touring her old school, not planning impactful engagements.
I’m a little confused. Marlborough is a boarding school right? But it also allows for just day school without boarding? So if charlotte want there, would she board? Is the fight over to board or not to board or where to board?
England is such a nepotism culture. All their stars know each other and aren’t the best.
William has options on where to send George. Diana chose Eton cause “all the Spencer boys go there”-Diana quote. Most of the other royals go elsewhere. Eton isn’t graduating the best or brightest. The graduates are kinda embarrassing. Talkers but no ideas.
Whats with the “secret visit” narrative? Do they mean to say it was NOT public, therefore:….. PRIVATE?
Sheeesh. Gad i hate these pretentious arseholes.
And you can bet that this visit, if it indeed happened (or even if it didnt, now the palace and rota hv put it out there for the peasants to accept as having happened) will be counted toward kkkHATE’s “engagement” numbers for the the year. And, of course, this so-called visit will be made to count as several “engagements” depending on the number of different folks she spoke to. LOL
Rmbr, this is the time of year to start padding “engagement” numbers.
A secret visit to her old school, just like Duchess Meghan visited her high school during her podcast interviews and her grade school during the H&M Netflix doc. She’s always copying.
My guess is if Kate visited Malborough, it wasn’t about George. Again… I think this is KP and the palace laying track for marital strife between the Wales that isn’t about William cheating, but some vague sort of irreconcilable differences. I also think the same powers that be are also behind the Middleton smear campaign and the posters.
George is going to Eton. She is scoping out places for Charlotte.
They’ve started the ‘secret visit’ BS with her again, this was a bit of a thing a few years ago where embargoed visits from weeks ago were then drip fed to the public to make it look like she’s ‘working’ when really she’s holidaying. We’ll see when she turns up with a tan in a couple of weeks.
Okay, these pictures – wide open mouth, wide eyes, knarly hands- are starting to traumatize me; I mean they’re literally making me anxious. Why are photogs doing this to her? I dont recall seeing these kinds of pics before. This has to be deliberate?
Lol, notable alumni makes a visit to her old school – hardly breaking news unless this is a deliberate distraction. On the one hand, I think it would be unusual for George to go anywhere but Eton, given that so many of his aristocratic peers and future important contacts go there. I read somewhere that about half of Britain’s prime ministers graduated from there.
However, perhaps the fact that it would be considered a pretty radical step works in the Wales’ favour and might be a way for them to appear more modern ( read: post-Edwardian) without truly changing what’s underneath the window dressing.
After all, it’s still an expensive, privileged school, just one that would be co-ed. The press could go on and on about Kate’s middle class roots, keeping the children together, the very picture of a modern monarch etc etc. I’m not saying it will happen, just that the Wales might at least want it to appear that they are considering other schools.
George is entering a new society compared to history , unlike the rigidity of the past, in order for the monarchy to survive he will need to be more like Harry. I dont believe that K, a mumbling dunce, would be considered an expert on education or be able to give guidance on anything other than stalking, grifting and how to avoid work. “She excelled in the classroom as well as on the sports field “, seriously, her academic skills seem to be invisible and where are all her sports achievements. Not many schools would be proud of an ex-student who has achieved absolutely nothing in life other than stalking and marrying royalty. Having children is wonderful, millions of others have done it, her odd shaped pregnancy stomach before and after was very different to others, though.