Prince William and Princess Kate are looking to their good pals for some advice. Just like any other parents, they’re looking ahead to future schooling options for their three children—Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. As Prince George nears the end of his time at Lambrook, his parents are preemptively addressing this trend. They’re focused on what do they do next for their kids’ education.
After all, Prince George, now 12, is completing his last year of prep school. At the same time, his older siblings, 10-year-old Princess Charlotte and 7-year-old Prince Louis, continue to learn at the same school. Both parents have first-hand experience of the British boarding school system as both attended Eton College and Marlborough College. This context shapes their mindset as they consider a variety of options to educate their children.
As they consider various options, William and Kate are likely drawing on insights from friends with older children who have already navigated similar decisions. Melanie Sanderson, managing editor of The Good Schools Guide, gave some wisdom about this approach. She even laid it all out during an episode of A Right Royal Podcast.
I’d hope that they’re getting advice from their friends who might have older children,” Sanderson opined.
She deepened our understanding of this royal couple’s relationship with their social ecosystem.
“I think we know that there are people who are close to the royal family in all of these schools,” Sanderson stated.
The couple’s parenting style, they say, is a good example of how they want their own children to feel free to explore various paths in education. Sanderson spoke passionately about their desire to develop a sense of agency in their children. Their goal is to foster innovation rather than conform to specified solutions.
It is truly beautiful to see how deeply these new parents think about how they want to raise their children. They want to provide them with as many pathways into their future as possible. Sanderson explained. “I don’t think they want their children to feel there’s just a predestined route.”
Sanderson mentioned the couple’s likely shortlist of schools that they have considered even before this stage in their children’s education. She mentioned that they’d be visiting these schools to see the culture and fit for their family.
And naturally, most of them have attended their own too, she added. I bet they keep a tight list of schools they’ve historically had on their radar. Second, they go to those schools to understand the culture, to develop an understanding and sense of reality on the ground. It’s a typical gut check if you’ve ever called out a colleague’s behavior and it felt right.
