Kate Middleton faces a royal conundrum. The Princess of Wales and her husband Prince William's eldest child, Prince George, is preparing for a new chapter as his time at Lambrook prep school draws to a close. William is keen for his 11-year-old son to attend the prestigious all-boys boarding school Eton, but royal insiders suggest Kate prefers Marlborough College in Wiltshire, a mixed-sex institution. Kate herself attended Marlborough from 1996 to 2000.
George is reportedly open to the idea of Eton, but Kate is said to be 'heartbroken' at the thought. She believes the elite school is too 'stuffy' for him. 'Kate's preference is for George to be at a co-educational school, so he can be with his siblings, which is what Kate experienced at Marlborough with her sister, Pippa, and brother, James,' royal expert Katie Nicholl told The Mirror. 'It was a very happy school life for her, but William has very fond memories of Eton, which has a long history with aristocrats and members of the royal family.'
However, Nicholl also acknowledged that the couple might surprise everyone with a different decision. 'There's always the possibility of traditions being changed,' she argued. 'William and Harry didn't end up following in their father's footsteps by going to Gordonstoun, and it may be that George breaks the Eton mould and ends up somewhere else.' 'Whatever happens, it'll be a decision made by William and Kate with George's best interests factored in,' the expert added.
Traditionally, royal children have either been home-schooled or sent to boarding school. King Charles III and his sons William and Prince Harry all attended boarding school. Charles started at Cheam School in Berkshire at age eight, while William and Harry attended Ludgrove School in Berkshire before moving on to Eton. George and his siblings, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, first attended Thomas's school in Battersea before switching to Lambrook in 2022.
Nicholl also revealed that the trio enjoys their time at school, providing them with stability during challenging times. 'When Kate was in hospital, George was on the football pitch playing with his friends,' Nicholl said. 'That sense of normality, of keeping the family going at one of the hardest times they've ever gone through, was important. The school gives them a great infrastructure and a great support network, and allows the children to live a regular childhood – a low-key, happy, albeit privileged childhood.'
In addition to decisions about her children's schooling, Kate is preparing to return to public duties following her cancer diagnosis. After undergoing abdominal surgery in January, followed by her cancer diagnosis and treatment, Kate announced in September that she is now 'cancer-free.' 'Doing what I can to stay cancer free is now my focus,' she stated. 'Although I have finished chemotherapy, my path to healing and full recovery is long and I must continue to take each day as it comes.'
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