Prince William and Kate Middleton have butted heads in the past on which school to send Prince George when he turns 13, with each said to be keen for him to attend their respective alma maters, Eton College and Marlborough College. But according to reports, the Princess has already won over in this discussion.
The 11-year-old Prince currently attends Lambrook School in Berkshire with his siblings, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. This setup is said to be why the parents have decided to send him to the co-ed school two years from now, as it would allow both of his younger siblings to join him when the time comes for them to leave the prep school too.
Security considerations
According to insiders, discussions have already been made on George’s accommodations in the prestigious $73,000-a-year boarding school in Wiltshire. Marlborough College is set on 286 acres and offers six houses each for boys and girls, and four co-ed houses on the campus and in the nearby town.
A well-placed insider stressed the importance for George to be in an “in house” for security reasons, as these are the houses that are located around the main quad of the school. As such, he will reportedly likely be housed in the all-boys residence C1 House in the College Court, due to its enhanced security and proximity to the main school building.
“Parents have been talking about nothing else and discussions have really ramped up in recent weeks but security is obviously a massive consideration,” the source told the Daily Mail, adding that the “out houses” are definitely not suited for a member of the Royal Family, as they “are scattered down the Bath Road, and these present more of a security risk as they are just big houses on their own and involve a lot more walking around which is the downside of Marlborough.”
Steeped in Royal history
Kate attended Marlborough College in 1996 when she was 14 and spent four reportedly wonderful years there, where she excelled at hockey and became co-captain of the tennis team. She graduated in 2000, took a gap year, and enrolled at the University of St. Andrews, where she met William and well, the rest is history. Her younger sister, Pippa Middleton, also joined her at Marlborough under an all-rounder scholarship.
Three years later in 2003, Princess Eugenie became a student at the school until 2008 and returned a decade later in 2018 to open its newly refurbished Memorial Hall. But George’s reported accommodations at C1 House itself also has a Royal link.
It was the former home of the Seymour family, who relocated to nearby Wolf Hall, and became the inspiration for author Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall trilogy. Sixteenth century writer Lady Jane Seymour was the third wife of King Henry VIII. Other school alumni include poets Siegfried Sassoon and John Betjeman, and comedian Jack Whitehall.
It’s said that William and Kate visited both Eton College and Marlborough College to weigh out their options for George. They reportedly also added Oundle School to their choices amid concerns that the 2024 version of the Princess’ alma mater has become “too flashy.” Another source said that it “may be quite different from how Kate remembers it. It’s become a little more jet-set. Lots of parents have villas in Ibiza, chalets in Verbier or a private jet, which isn’t Kate’s style.” Well, guess we’ll just have to wait for an official announcement from the parents regarding this matter.
Published: Jan 7, 2025 03:22 pm