These are the faces of two princes who aren’t completely sold on the daily commute to school! Prince William took Prince George to his first day of big-kid school at Thomas’s Battersea in London this morning. The original plan was for William and Kate to take George to school today, but Kate’s Hyperemesis Gravidarum put those plans into disarray. E! News reported last night that Kate was going to decide this morning if she felt well enough to take George to school, so I guess she didn’t feel well enough.
From the photos, it seems like George was fine about all of it. There were no first-day tears, although many outlets are saying that he seemed “nervous.” William seemed very gentle with him, and my guess is that Will and Kate have been talking to him for weeks, if not months, about big-kid school and what he should expect and all of that. I also think he looks tired – he had to get up early for this 30-40 minute school commute.
As for Kate, as I said, sources were saying last night that she was “unlikely” to make this trip, which says to me that she really does feel like ten kinds of hell. Kate loves a happy-family photo-op, and if she was feeling less barfy, she would have made the trip. Sources also tell E! that even though she might miss some stuff in the first few months, “Kate will very much be with George on many school rounds in the future. She and William will be very involved.” And of course, Carole Middleton and Pippa Middleton have been seen going in and out of Kensington Palace a lot in the past week.
People Magazine is even running a story about how some people think that Kate and William will eventually try for a fourth child when all is said and done. That would be…well, interesting.
Photos courtesy of Pacific Coast News.
Aw, his little face!
Poor old Kate, I bet she was gutted at having to miss this.
I know. I can’t imagine missing my son’s first day of school. I had to miss a few school events due to a rough pregnancy and I felt so bad. I’m sure she feels sad and guilty on top of feeling miserable with pregnancy. It’s really hard sometimes.
I know! I thought this too. I had to miss my daughter’s “meet the teacher” back in the spring because I was down with gastro, and I felt absolutely awful. I would have been devastated and felt so guilty to miss the first day of school – which I know is silly, and we, as parents, need to not be so hard on ourselves, but I’ll bet she’s feeling it too.
OT but… does anyone have an ID on these shoes? Both PW and PH wear them often… Kinda wish we had at least one site devoted to the princes’ fashion and a little less sites devoted to what K wears.
Ask and ye shall receive. They’ve already identified the rest of the outfit and are working on the shoes.
https://whatkateskidswore.com
Those shoes are pretty common at pretty much every men’s store in Paris. Everytime I see them in a window I call them Prince Harry shoes. In my mind he popularized them. But I know for sure they can be found in America because I remember first seeing them in some mid-priced shoe store at the mall before I moved (and that was when I saw Harry wearing them in Africa). They come in brown and blue suede right? Probably other colors too but I usually see them in the brown (like he’s wearing in the photo) or dark blue. I’m curios to know what they’re actually called though because I doubt they’re called Prince Harry shoes.
I meant Prince William’s shoes. Creepy website, but thanks.
they’re called desert boots. I’ve seen them in plenty of men’s shoe stores in various colours, etc.
Wouldn’t be surprised to find out they are Clarks.
Probably Cole Haan, and desert boots or chukkas fr Arthur Knight. Mr. L has some that look similar. The ones with the blue soles are Cole Haan, I think.
I bet she was too. I half expected to see Carole there in her stead, actually, and she’d have got no shade from me (for once) if she had.
I think the woman who met them looks very kind. I saw the video when she shook George’s hand, and she handled it very well. Plus she looks very nice; bet she went to LK Bennett for a new dress!!
I thought she looked and acted very nice as well. She had to realize this would be a big photo event.
Which royal looked most uncomfortable – Willy or George? It was a big day for William too – Diana was so breezy about things like this – but then she didn’t know how popular she was on the world stage. Go, William, create a family and be happy.
She isn’t curtsying to a 4 year old, is she?? Or just bending over to shake his hand??
George is a cutie-pie! He always looks skeptical, not quite convinced that things are a good idea. I love his personality!!! So much more personality than either of his d dull parents!!
And Kate must really be sick to miss this. I have a feeling she is very very sick this time.
Bluhare, I agree, and if Pippa had taken over I wouldn’t have rolled my eyes either, not on a first day. At least William seemed to really be there for him.
I do feel sorry for her. It ‘s hard to see them go and I am sure she wanted to make sure George was feeling brave.
@bluhare I wouldn’t have had shade about Carole either.
I feel for her. Clinical morning sickness AND mom guilt? That’s a rotten combo. It could be to George’s benefit that dad did the drop off, though – sometimes mom’s presence heightens emotions. Little Lobbit loves his nursery school but he asked me to NOT to do the drop off with Dad on his first day back because he “didn’t want to cry!”
Lobbit – so adorable! That would have had *me* sobbing!
Lobbit, such a lovely story.
George looks adorable. Prince William is so good with him. He seems to talk to him and calm him when he looks stressed. Very sweet. I like how the teacher was so sweet. George enjoyed his first day according to reports.
Also his cousin Maude Windsor started today at the same school, there are photos in the Mail. She has pretty red hair, so Cute. She is Lord Fredrick Windsor and Sophie Windsor’s daughter. So cute.
I have thought this before, Kate is high strung around George and Willie is surprisingly non hover parent and really chill with his son.
I’m not crying for Kate. I took our 5 year old son to school on the first day. Husband was a work earning a living. We all just got on with it.
I think they are from Clarks, my son has a pair in brown suede. Probably very comfy.
George looks super cute. Again kids can do the long commutes most of us have done it forever. George will adjust quickly.
Looks like he was fine and I agree they probably prepared him for what was to come.
I wonder what he does during his commute? does he get books or games ? Maybe eating breakfast? Hopefully just not sitting there.
Any parent worth anything knows to have things in the car for small children to be entertained. I don’t think George or Charlotte are any different. Probably a tablet or a book to read.
Nicole,
I think the Cambridges said that their kids would have an unplugged childhood. Presumably that means no tablets. Maybe the PPO or William will play games with him during the commute.
Feel very sorry for Kate. Sounds like she is having a rough time with her HG. It’s gotta be bloody awful.
George looks so cute in his uniform, but so serious. Hope it goes well for him.
Good point. Maybe George reads or talks to will. No idea
I don’t talk to my kids if I can possibly help it. Ipods, movies, tablets, what have you. If they aren’t plugged in, I’m not doing my job of raising them properly!
My kids talk, and we listen to music. My pokey eater continues to eat.
30 minutes to me really doesnt seem that bad, we used to school for hour commute easy, even my sons bus does about 45 mins, ofourse the bus picks other kids en route.
30 minutes to go barely a mile is long but everywhere in London is long. You can walk somewhere in 15 minutes and drive the distance in an hour. Traffic so bad here and all these people take big SUV’s when the roads are so small makes me laugh have to pull to one side to let a car pass. PHULEEZE. Those school runs in SW London are awful.
Personally the issue with the commute isn’t the inconvenience to George or his parents – god knows they have everything done for them and an extra 30 mins in the car won’t mean eating tinned baked beans for dinner…the issue is what the commute and the security arrangements etc will mean in terms of cost and inconvenience for REGULAR people – you know the ones who effectively pay the Cambridge’s bills and for their security.
It’s not bad at all. I used 15 minutes on my commute when I was his age, and we felt lucky. Many kids, especially from out of town, used far more time.
I had a 20–25 minute school commute when I was a kid, but actually it was my time alone with my mum. Having read this, it’s the first time I have really thought about it, and I have realised the school run was a time that was full of good memories which I will always cherish. I guess people with young kids probably find it a little hard but I was the youngest, and by a big age gap so it was just me and my mum.
The 30 minute figure comes from foreign journalists using GoogleMaps or something. I live near there; with traffic the journey can take a lot longer.
They likely get police escort. I doubt they’ll be stuck in traffic.
I always went to schools 30-45 minutes away, first through high school. It’s not a big deal at all.
Same here. I lived out in the country, and I was the first stop on the bus. Even driving once I was old enough took 15 or so minutes. I never thought anything of it.
I remember two first days of school, it’s so hard. You feel like you’re losing your babies. But I still have one more to hold on to for a few years. Little Georgie is growing up fast.
I cry every time. I have one starting next week, but he feels like a big boy because he can copy the older ones. He made sure we got him a pack of his own, and he keeps packing it already with things that won’t end up going with him. I can’t imagine the day when they are gone, and I am alone. I won’t know what to do with myself. lol
George is a little dumpling.
George looks slightly sceptical, like he’s unsure why he’s surrounded by so many peasants at such an ungodly hour. 😛 Still, he’s too cute; I love the last pic of him shaking hands.
I agree. I still feel that way sometimes, especially when the person I come in contact with is super cheerful in the morning. Let me have my coffee damn it! LOL
As much shade as the Cambridges can draw, the shorts and sweater combo is pretty darn cute. However between this, the baby, Pippa’s retirement and Meghan’s Vanity Fair article I feel like I’m about royalled out for the week.
George is the absolute best. That face. That face is clearly unimpressed with the first big kid school experience and I kind of love it. I’m glad to see he hasn’t completely outgrown the Baby Churchill look he had when he was a baby.
Right? I love that look he’s giving the lady as she takes his hand.
George has been unimpressed from day 1 of life lol
Yes, he is super cute. 🙂
I had a little cousin who came home from her first day of kindergarten pi$$ed, demanding to know “who signed me up for that”.
My friend’s son said his teacher benched him.
When my second son came home from his first day of kindergarten, I said, “How was school?” He said, “Good. I’m done now.”
He thought it was just one day and then he was free to go back to his life of leisure!!
LOL! I love kids at that age. They are so funny!
Lol!! That’s adorable!
The story in my family goes something like this-One of my cousins demanded to be done with school after day one of kindergarten,in a moment of desperation my aunt thought she would shut them down by saying “if I don’t send you to school the police will come and put me in jail”My cousin responded “Oh well how long do you have to stay there”😂Not the response she was expecting
On the first day of my daughter’s nursery school, all the kids had separation anxiety; the moms and dads plus grandparents were worse. There was a two-way mirror put in to help reassure the “heartbreak” of helicoptering parents, and that their little ones would not be eaten alive by any big bad wolves. My daughter made a slow circle around me, looked up and said “You can go now Mommy. I don’t need you. And no hugging!” She was less than three. I was embarrassed by my daughter’s very calmly telling me she was a big girl now. I felt judged! What did her teacher and aides think of me?
He is so cute and his facial expressions are priceless. Have a good school year, George!
Agreed. And the body language between him and his dad is sweet. Just two dudes (blokes?) going to school, lol. I’m sure if Kate had been there it might have been more fraught with emotion.
It is very sweet. Maybe it is two lads? Two chaps?
He doesn’t look tired; he looks nervous. George goes to bed at like 7:30. I’m sure he got plenty of rest.
Then you turn around and they’re graduating from college.
He looks adorable.
Too true.
Anyone know why first day of school is in the middle of the week?
A lot of schools start the first week on a Wednesday so kids aren’t overwhelmed the first week. They get two to three days back and then a weekend to get supplies. A first full week back to school after 3 months off would be a lot.
Yep typically it’s not to overwhelm kids on their first week. In Florida when I was a kid we started on Wednesday or Thursday. School in NYC starts today
Here, they have staggered entry, so my son (same age as George) will start tomorrow, even though the bigger kids went back on Tuesday.
We have that here too. First year students, kindergarten, 6th grade and 9th grade start a day early to get used to things. One year when my daughter was in grade school (4th grade I think?) they did a full week for the first week back and it was pure hell on everyone. Teachers, students, parents, secretaries…we were all ready to kill each other.
Yes, I think it’s easier for everyone if it’s spread out. 1-8 all go on the first day, then there are JK (junior kindergarten, 4-year-olds) interviews on Wednesdays, then the SKs (senior kindergarten, 5-year-olds) go on Thursday and then the JKs start on Friday.
Interview? A Brit thing?
My children are all in lower school, so they start next week, but the Middle and Upper students are already there.
Enough Already, I’m Canadian. At our school at least, the kids come in and meet their teacher and see the class room one-on-one and the parents talk to the teachers, address any concerns, etc.
Michelle
Thank you 🙂 Yes, this is done during orientation but not for first day. It was abolished because the kindergarten staff wanted to establish normalcy – the extended interface with parents made the children feel there must be some awful reason mommy has red eyes and doesn’t seem to want to leave lol.
It’s going to vary by school and/or school district. We had a day just for Freshmen/New Students & that was on a Tuesday.
My high school always had the first day on a Friday. Which at first I was annoyed by, but it really was nice to have two days off after that first day.
Teachers need time to prepare.
I love seeing these upper-crust British schools…even the teachers look elegant!
I’m going to say this and then run, and maybe hide my face in shame but : I find Will so attractive with the shorter hair . Plus his body is just my ideal… so yeah I would!
I have to admit, his body looked good in those casual clothes.
Don’t run, I actually thought the same.
He doesn’t look too shabby. You can tell he’s got the head shape for an even closer cut though. It would make him look younger.
It’s the chest hair poking out the top of the shirt too 🙈 My weakness 🙈 This shame has stopped me commenting on will and Kate posts , but today I couldn’t help myself with the whole DILF look.
Ha, funny, I was thinking that was the only misstep in an otherwise flawless look for him.
Yes, I really think the chest hair is too much. One more button done up, William!
William’s body is tight. Always has been. I remember those Uni swimming pics of his.😏😈
You lot are dirty. Tsk, tsk.
Yes, walking on the beach near St. Andrews, in a wet suit, holding a surfing board. Whowza!
Oh he definitely looks good here. Now that he has started embracing the short hair and stopped doing those bad combovers….he is looking a lot better again. And I like the chest hair too. LOL!
Nice polo body but the dad jeans…
Aw, nervous little fella. He looks so cute. I feel sorry for Kate having to miss taking him to his first day at school. It’ a big deal to a mommy and wanting to be there for your child.
Mommies everywhere can relax. I have absolutely no memory at all of that first day of kindergarten… or first grade etc. I skipped nursery school before it, not because I was advanced, but because my mother didn’t think she could take the stress. You see, my older brother in nursery school decided to take a little friend home to see his brand new baby sister. Except neither of them mentioned the plan to the teacher. The two three year olds just started walking. Both my mother and the teacher had a frantic time of it until the kids finally wandered into view.
I get that there are closer preschools, but a 30-40 minute commute really isn’t that bad. My bus ride was at least an hour when I was in elementary school (which I actually kind of enjoyed) as I was one of the first stops and my district was rural and spread out. Not that big of a deal.
Ok I’ll say it – I’m sure they’ve gone to Battersea because the parents are much more likely to be British (and American). In Kensington everyone is Russian, Middle Eastern, Chinese, what have you. Just global wealth.
Interesting. Isn’t it where all the Toffs and double-barrelled named aristocrats send their kids?
What’s “it”? There are loads of prep schools about. Their choice of secondary school will really show their intentions (Eton, Gordonstoun, somewhere earthy-crunchy?) In London now, lots of parents are choosing to send their children to boarding school because it’s less competitive to get into Rugby or Charterhouse than one of the London hot house public schools. It’s unlikely that George will turn out to be particularly intellectual, so they could do worse than to send him somewhere like Gordonstoun.
The day before school started, my daughters kindergarten had an orientation. Parents stayed for it. My daughter cried and my heart broke for her. The next day, school began and she ran off happily and didn’t look back at me. On one hand I was relieved. On the other hand my heart broke again but this time it was for me. She’s now in her 20s but I remember this like it was yesterday.
Other Renee, thank you. What a darling story.
I was so excited to start kindergarten. My mom says I happily skipped into the classroom and never even turned around to wave at her.
My now happily adjusted 13 year old absolutely flipped out at the kindergarten orientation. Crying, hanging on to me. The principal was great, she came over and took his hand and brought him down to his classroom. A friend was sitting next to me and she hugged me and we both cried-it just breaks your heart to see little kids so distressed. 3 days later, he hopped on the school bus with his big brother and didn’t look back.
Other Renee
Awww, bittersweet! I remember my niece’s first day of kindergarten. She and I had always been extremely close and she held my hand in a vice-like grip during morning assembly (held outside). When it was time for the hand-off and she was to line up with the other kindergarteners to march into the lower schoolroom my niece bit her lip and looked up at me as if she was a firefighter going into a burning building. I was all kisses and encouragement as she joined the queu. She was so tiny that her backpack almost came to the back of her knees and it bobbed as she walked. Even her uniform made her look smaller, I thought. I waved until the very end but burst into all-day tears as soon as my husband and I were in the car. When we picked her up that afternoon she and a set of triplets had become inseperable and she wanted to bring them home lol.
*sigh*
Enjoy these years, Cambridges!
I cried too EA. My clinger is starting next week. He is excited now, but I am not sure how he will react. If he cries, I will have to resist putting him back in the car. We are always worse than they are.
It is wonderful that you are so close to you nieces. You talk about them a lot, so I know you had to be close.
Aww this thread is stirring up all sorts of bittersweet “first day” memories.
Good luck to you and your little clinger, magnoliarose!
Magnoliarose
Oh you have a wee one!! You have a clinger too – mine wouldn’t even take pictures with Santa! But tbh, as a mommy, don’t you secretly adore the clinginess? Your child will be much better than you lol. One fond bit of advice: audio will be just as special to you in the future as your pics will be. I have a video clip of my eldest niece’s first day of kindergarten. I’m straightening her blouse collar and arranging her curls while my mom holds the other niece (the kindergartener from my previous comment, aged three at tbe tine). As the toddler saw both her auntie and her only sibling/hero/playmate disappearing into the huge building she let out a bloodcurdling screech lol. She’s 13 now and I’m so glad we got it all on video. Can’t wait to play it at her wedding reception ha ha.
Prince George looks adorable and nervous. I read somewhere else this morning that Maud Windsor, the daughter of Lord and Lady Frederick Windsor is also starting the same school as George.
I don’t get the shade over the 30 minute commute either. My prep-schooler travels 40 minutes on a good day.
I’m assuming your child doesn’t come with enormous security concerns that bring with them huge costs and potential inconvenience to the regular folks who live and work in London.
Putting your child through a long commute is a personal decision, totally. Inconveniencing the many many many people with whom your child will inevitably be sharing two relatively small bridges with to get to school…that is utterly selfish and clueless. Not to mention the huge costs of his security detail, which is paid for by the tax payer. No surprise from the Cambridge’s.
Clare has there been any reports coming out saying if they caused any delays in traffic today? I get why people are upset about this and I had it explained to me on the previous post (I can’t remember by who sorry), but I’m curious if there was actually an inconvenience regarding their security detail like many people were saying?
Well said Clare!
The British public would be paying for security no matter where the boy went to school. I don’t get this angst about this at all. Is the kid getting a police escort every morning? Are commuters expected to pull over to let a cavalcade pass? Genuine question.
Well put, Claire! Not sure why people are ignoring the inconvenience the other children and parents are going to experience while Prince George rides in a motorcade to his primary school 30 Mins from his home.
Agree with Clare, they haven’t given a second thought to how this journey will impact on ordinary people, especially when there are totally suitable schools very close to KP.
@ Lobbitt, this should answer your question and yes, the journey back and forth every day is going to be a ‘logistical and security nightmare’ apparently.
http://metro.co.uk/2017/09/06/getting-prince-george-to-school-every-day-will-be-a-security-and-logistical-nightmare-6906702/
also there are some questions being raised regarding the security of the school
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/09/03/prince-georges-new-school-security-breach-days-term-starts/
Thank you, frisbee! Other than the title, that first article doesn’t really speak to any real logistical nightmares, though. The kid will travel with a security team, per the usual. That security team will coordinate travel plans with with local police and they’ll take different routes to the school on different days. The Telegraph article about security lapses at the school even mentions that there will be no police escorts during his daily commute. IDK I don’t see the controversy – maybe there will be, though. Maybe the entire thing will wreak havoc on London every morning. We’ll find out soon enough!
The best was to avoid all that would be homeschooling .
Clare- everything that kid does for his entire life is going to involve gobs of security that will inconvenience people around him. The only other option is to keep him hidden away in a palace for the rest of his life. At some point, it just has to be accepted that allowing such a child to have a normal life is going to cause disruption for others and will be expensive. If you want a future king who has never mingled with anybody but bodyguards, then you can have it by keeping him a prisoner. But if you want one with at least a chance for some normal interactions – the security detail is part of the deal.
Has there been footage or actual information about a motorcade or issues with traffic? Wouldn’t he have security anyway?
Sorry, but I would move mountains for my children. Parents would be “inconvenienced” anywhere he went. If the school was the best fit for him, they should be allowed to send him wherever they want. I am sure you would want that afforded to your child, and again, I would ask you to show receipts of the “additional” costs with him attending this school.
I have to agree. I get that the Cambridges are expected to put the needs of the public before their kids – to a certain extent, anyway – but that’s just not realistic LOL. I’m a parent, and I’ll be damned before I send my kid to a school that isn’t the right fit for him.
oiy – apparently the school they chose has a branch near Kensington Palace. Weird that they didn’t choose that location…
The branch nearest them may not have had the features important to George’s parents orvit may not have passed security muster (blast windows, expansion capability to add on a panic room, RPO accomodations, who knows). Maybe the headmaster himself (or headmistress) persuaded Will and Kate that the main campus was the absolute best choice. We just don’t know.
@Enough Already, the amenities at the local branch aren’t likely to be very different, they all cater to the children of rich parents who have their own security demands for their children. I have read reports that Kate didn’t want to use her local branch of St Thomas’s because she didn’t want George and Charlotte to go to school with the children of Oligarchs – oligarch in the UK is code for Russian billionaires.
Frisbee
Again, I don’t know, Yankee here. I will say however that wealthy tot is not quite the same as wealthy-future-monarch-tot in terms of security. If you have a chance could you ljnk to that oligarch piece. I read lots of sanctioned articles and royal bios but I love the snarky hit pieces as well lol.
So I live in an area where the District contains VERY distinctly different branches, although they all fall under the same name. Parents fight to send their kids to the school that best fit their/their children. A lot of it is based on clientele since the schools that fall under the District are top tier and ranked nationally. I really don’t see the big deal in what the royal couple is doing with George.
@ EA, well what do you know it was on this site! Here’s the link
http://www.celebitchy.com/529967/duchess_kate_wants_to_keep_george_away_from_the_spoiled_offspring_of_oligarchs/
I knew I’d read it somewhere!
Also there are a LOT of wealthy Russians with their kids in British schools, if you can be bothered I’ve linked this article which is an indication of the lengths they are prepared to go to to get their kids into the ‘right’ school. To anyone else their children may not seem as important as the heir to the heir to the Throne of the UK – but to their parents they definitely are…
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/9853386/The-little-Russians-learning-to-be-British.html
There’s an article on buzzfeed called “From Russia with Blood,” about 14 “hits” done in the UK by FSB operatives and hushed up. If that was Kate’s motivation, she’s much smarter than I gave her credit for.
Frisbee
Ooh thank you! Can’t wait to tuck into these articles!
Not just the inconvenience to the peasants while George’s car breezes through. The extra danger of sending him so far, every day, at predictable times. Someone here said the cars have to go over a choice of bridges, all narrow, with bottlenecks to get to them. It could make his car a sitting duck.
As a mom, I would never do that with my kids. I would pick the closest appropriate school, with the safest commute. You can protect a child in a school building, but if you are sitting in traffic or slowing down going over a bridge – no. That is the stuff that would give me nightmares.
I lived in Wandsworth when I lived in London, and traffic could be a nightmare,and it was back in the eighties. Why not send George to Wetherby where his father went?
Well, Barron Trump is driven
from the White House to a school in Potomac, MD two miles from where I live, and that’s at least 45 minutes to over an hour commute. The Obama girls commuted to Bethesda Maryland until they entered the fourth grade. My kids had close to an hour commute each way. I loved doing carpool in the afternoon, when all the kids would forget about me, and gossiped about everyone and everything. They became mute at home!
The difference is there are a dozen ways to secure your child’s commute in DC; in London there are two bridges needed to cross. Nightmare commute.
Actually a short trip might be more difficult from a security standpoint. Harder to choose very different routes unless you drive the kid quite a distance in the wrong direction first. In which case, might as well choose a school further away rather than across the street.
I heard that the closer branch was boys only, and his parents wanted his sister to be able to go to the same school. If true, it might be as simple as that.
Both branches of Thomas’s are coed.
It looks like this school was chosen because his cousin go there so I’m not sue why people are still arguing over why the school was chosen.
Maud’s grandfather (Prince Michael of Kent) and the Queen are cousins, so if my maths are correct, that makes George and Maud third cousins once removed. I’m not sure if George and Maud have even met before. I can’t imagine that was a particular concern.
Prince George looks so cute but also nervous which is to be expected. I feel bad that Kate had to miss his first day…that’s a huge milestone. My mom was a wreck dropping me off, so I can only imagine how Kate is feeling.
Poor bb looks so nervous! I’m surprised Will let the paparazzi capture the drop off – but maybe if they get their shots today, they’ll back off for the rest of the school year.
He restricted the paps-there were only 2 photographers allowed to be there for the big drop off.
From reports, itt was only one photographer: Chris Jackson, whom PG is used to.
Oh, I see – thanks to both of you. It’s good that he set limits. The poor, sweet boy is stressed enough as it is.
Awwww! He looks so nervous. He seems like a very shy and reserved child. Mixing with other kids will be good for him (says the armchair expert) 🙂
George looks terrified.😌
I love George’s concern face. My nephew has the same exact same adorable expression.
George looks nervous but I don’t blame him, even if he’s been in preschool for a few years – a smaller country preschool with very few (if any) cameras around is going to be very different than a school in London with even a handful of photographers.
I feel bad for Kate for missing it but it seems George was okay with his dad there.
Sweet boy! He does seem a tad nervous. I hope that he has a great day.
My kids are around his age and I hope this “proves” how miserable mommy must be feeling right now. By all accounts she’s a good, involved mom so to miss this would only happen if it were unavoidable and I’ll bet she’s crushed. George looks adorable and nervous!
He always looks unhappy when Nanny Maria isn’t around.
Oh stop.
+1. Enough with the bashing already.
Nope. NM is hands on with those babies, KM uses them as props to avoid talking to grown ups.
Oh don’t be ridiculous. He’s starting school and nervous.
Wow the mini Midds are out in force today haha!
Kristi: So how do you know the nanny is hands on with George and Charlotte? And how do you also know KM uses them to avoid talking to grown ups? Please enlighten us.
George has a furrowed brow like he has the weight of the world on him. He’s a cute kid.
Why shouldn’t they have a herd of kids? They obviously have the money and help to make it much easier than us normal folks.
Because the people of England, who are losing services and may lose many more services when Brexit comes, support them. If they were self-supporting like the Beckhams, then they should have as many children as they want – dozens, even!! But each child they have is another mouth to feed, another palace to buy or renovate, another security detail, another family to dress for the next 90 years.
And yes, the people of Britain do support them through the Duchy, which actually belongs to the British people.
George looks tired to me. My son has the same colouring, and we gets big purple
‘bruises’ under his eyes when tired.
Question: Is the woman greeting them curtseying to Pr. Geo? Does his teacher have to curtsey? Every day? How does that work in real life, I wonder?
I don’t see her curtseying as much as she is getting down on his level to greet him. I do this often with young children. You’re not as imposing and makes the little one less afraid.
In the video it looks more like she’s stooping to talk to him. And definitely doesn’t to PW. The pic makes it look more like a curtsy. I don’t know if she should have to PW or not but the video makes it look like they’re both a bit more focused on easing George than perfect royal manners.
Now that Kate has missed her son’s first day of school, will this site accept she does have HG and is very poorly/not just saying it to et out of events? V disappointed with the tone Kate is always written with here.
Well I’ll admit it, I did think she was faking the HG to get out of working. But missing her eldest child’s first day of school, that means she’s likely really ill. To be fair, I haven’t criticised her for her poor event totals in the years she’s been pregnant. But I am sorry for thinking that her HG wasn’t real, I’m pretty sure that it is now.
I can’t help noticing that a lot of the “she’s exaggerating her nausea to avoid work” folks are AWOL today.
@josie
Lol – so true!
George is such an adorable kid! I bet that Kate, for all her faults, does seem like a good mother, was gutted to miss this.
I totally agree. I am a critic but not about that.
Me three. She obviously feels horrendous if she missed this milestone.
But IF one is faking HG, this is the way to try and shut down the chronic rumour as evident from todays comments. I don’t think she is above it.
I think we’re getting into nonfalsifiable theory territory here…. There is absolutely nothing that could happen that would convince folks that she is feeling sick! Even if she vomitted on the Queen’s shoes, it would be speculated that she was faking it.
They shared a cute picture of him and William just now:
https://twitter.com/kensingtonroyal/status/905819575865966592
It’s of him before the hourlong commute. In the after pictures, he looks exhausted.
Kate must be sad she missed this day. Hopefully George had a great day.
Chances William took out his smartphone and recorded something? lol
I would be sobbing uncontrollably if I missed my kid’s first day of school. It was a huge deal for us, even if my daughter was pretty much ready for us to go away so that she could go make new friends and play. Kate had to feel awful, on top of feeling awful.
I wonder how hard it is for the future King of England to make friends in school? I bet the kids probably don’t understand or care at that age, but I’m sure some of the crazier parents do. Did I imagine Prince William or Harry telling a story (as an adult) about threatening to set the palace guards on some kids once, and his parents having to explain that wasn’t how it worked, to him?
George is absolutely adorable, and i hope he has a great school year!
In documentaries about Prince Charles, it’s mentioned he was bullied at the school his dad sent him to. Of course, I couldn’t help but wonder why anyone would want to bully a prince, no matter how big his ears might be.
Lol.
Contrary to his sister and to other royal children, George looks nervous, shy, reluctant or sad in most of his public appearances. The Monaco twins are only 2 1/2 and they’ve been taken to many engagements and always seem very well adjusted to their public life. I’m a rabid republican and I hope the British monarchy will end with QEII, but if it doesn’t, the Lamebridges should really make an effort to help George thrive. Right now, he seems scared and confused and it’s not just the first day of school effect.
There’s a possibility it is just the child’s nature or petsonality. Estella of Sweden has always seemed to sparkle around strangers. My niece may have to give up violin because she becomes extremely anxiety-ridden when she has to perform in public and she’s been playing for eight years. Her sister plays piano and has been Charming the public happily since she was five. Hopefully Will and Kate are exposing their children to the public in the right amounts for their wellbeing and not the public’s. But time will tell.
Can’t she play the violin and take lessons without participating in those terrible recitals aka child abuse? I loved playing the piano but the teachers always ruined it with those damned recitals. We had to spend most of our time preparing for them and they always chose stuff way beyond my skills to supposedly show off their ability as a music teacher. A type of marketing, I imagine — except who is going to attend except relatives who already know the pieces by heart?!? If they’re hoping a prodigy will surface, it’s a rather inefficient way to find one.
I absolutely hated all of it. Kids who love performing can do them and leave the rest of us alone. I got so much further when I refused to take more lessons and could focus on the music.
He’s also only just 4. Even though he’s tall, he’s young to be going to full time school. He’s doing so, so well. I have no time for William & Kate, but you’d have to have a heart of stone not to feel for George today.
He’s apparently only doing half days and will work his way up to a full day, 5 times a week.
My niece looks quite a bit like George in photos, too — a sort of “stand back and watch, wary checking-it-out” attitude, but once you get to know her, or get a chance to see her with siblings and cousins, you realize she’s a very assertive, self-confident kid. George is half her age but he reminds me of her.
Also, he’s looked quite bouncy and engaged when there’s sometime cool to look at. No one could call him sad or nervous on that helicopter during their last tour!
I think older siblings are usually more reserved.
I doubt his personality is set in stone though.
I was not shy as a young child, but became shy during my pre-teen years and later. It’s inexplicable even to myself.
The average bus route takes at least 30 minutes, regardless of distance. He doesn’t look tired to me – why would he, when these photos were taken literally minutes before 9 a.m. It’s not like he had to get up at 5 a.m. to get to school or something. And god forbid a parent choose a school based on its values and academic quality rather than its proximity to home.
There is literally another branch of the school, with the same values and academic quality, much closer to KP.
Different set of kids and parents though. Perhaps the Cambridges wanted a more down to earth crowd (speaking relatively though)
I’ve yet to see any evidence of the massively increased tax payer burden resulting from the 30 minute drive, but happy to be proven wrong 🙂
Maud Windsor, his cousin, goes to this school. It’s believed that’s why it was chosen.
Distant cousin. How much time has he spent with Maud in the past? I’ve never seen any evidence of the two families socialising. And it seems like security has gone for one or two cars, no motorcade. There will be some security risks when the traffic will inevitably be stuck on whichever bridge they’re going over, but it seems as though they’ve decided that’s the best way to go. As a London commuter, I thank them.
I said it on the previous article, Tina, that the branch near KP would never work.
If you google it you’ll see that it’s on 4 campuses and the pupils walk between them, on the public streets, for different subjects/sports etc. Security for George would be an absolute nightmare.