Prince William accidentally confirmed that Prince George boards at Lambrook

June is right around the corner and the Prince and Princess of Wales still haven’t confirmed which school Prince George will attend for the next school year. Prince William and Kate have been fighting about schools for years, and that fight has spilled out into the British press, as both sides seem to be engaged in a briefing war over same-sex boarding schools versus coeducation. It’s clear that Kate does not want George to go to Eton, and she wants all of her kids to attend the same school, and it also sounds like she’s anti-boarding school, in general. George turns 13 years old in July, and he’ll soon “graduate” from Lambrook, which has been his school for the past four years. “Sources” close to William and Kate have insisted, for YEARS, that they needed to move to Windsor because their kids are day-students at Lambrook, and they needed to be close by for the school run. In fact, the “school run” has been cited ad nauseam the reason why William and Kate can’t work regularly during the week, can’t live in London, can’t do this or that. But William ended up revealing that George actually “boards” at Lambrook:

The Prince of Wales has confirmed that Prince George is sometimes boarding at Lambrook, the private school all three of his children attend near Ascot in Berkshire. Prince William made the revelation on Friday, during an interview on Heart radio’s breakfast show presented by Jamie Theakston and Amanda Holden.

The heir to the throne began his appearance by confessing he was not a morning person and how at this time he would be doing the school run with Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte, as their elder brother, George, 12, is already sometimes boarding at Lambrook.

He spoke of the ‘chaos’ of school runs, explaining how eight-year-old Louis, in particular, has a habit of leaving fingerprints from his jam sandwiches in the car.

‘He’ll leave jam fingerprints throughout the car which is really helpful,’ William explained.

Speaking to his family on show, he said: ‘Charlotte and Louis, because George is boarding last night, Charlotte and Louis if you’re listening, make sure you’re on time please, make sure you’re not fighting over who listens to what, this morning.’

It’s unclear how often George boards at Lambrook, where fees for the years cost up to £10,669.

In September, the young Prince will be moving to secondary education, although it is still unknown which school the Prince and Princess of Wales will pick for their firstborn. It has long been assumed that single-sex Eton College would be the first choice for 12-year-old George when he leaves Lambrook.

However, in May, the Prince and Princess of Wales were spotted touring Oundle, the £59,000-a-year Northamptonshire boarding school. Founded in 1556, the school is considered to be popular with Kate and William because they could send all three of their children there. The school, which charges between £22,000 for day pupils and £44,330 a year for full-time boarders, values tradition but is also renowned for its art and music, is eco-conscious and has strong pastoral care.

[From The Daily Mail]

It’s really interesting that William let this slip last week, after all of this time, after the incessant claims about the school run. How often does George board? How often does Charlotte board? How often does Louis board? How often does William actually do the school run? Be specific – how many times a week does William get out of bed and drive the kids to school? Because as we’ve seen in recent years especially, it seems like William is incapable of doing morning or even mid-day events. “Not a morning person” feels like code for the other thing – sleeping it off, hungover, unable to do anything because he’s still drunk from the previous night.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid, Cover Images.

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55 Responses to “Prince William accidentally confirmed that Prince George boards at Lambrook”

  1. J Blake says:

    All those nannies and houses and loads of time to do whatever you want and you get rid of your child all the while screaming about being morally superior to your family. Disgusting.

    • lucy10 says:

      “Not a morning person” definitely means he doesn’t do the “school run”, if either of them actually do it!

  2. Becks1 says:

    I’ve been saying for about a year now that I think George and Charlotte are boarding at least part time. (I think Louis is too young, it may not be until 8? so he just hit that.) it explains why they’re so obsessed with not working over school breaks – it makes a lot more sense if the kids are boarding otherwise. (I mean they also don’t work because they love any excuse to not work. It’s almost like they can’t decide which way to go – admit the kids are boarding on a regular basis and there is no school run, which is why school breaks are sacrosanct – or keep emphasizing the school run as the be all and end all of parenthood which makes the insistence on the school breaks being work free times a little less compelling.) but again…..they’re lazy.

    If they aren’t boarding full time, but just part time, I find that interesting because it seems like its their choice and I wonder how often they choose it.

    And yes its interesting because we have heard for years about the sacred school run, and how normal middle class Kate is so anti boarding (even though she boarded, which often is forgotten) – and now it turns out they ARE boarding.

    I also think its weird that they keep talking about schools where “all three can go” – George will be done before Louis starts so its not like they’ll be at Eton or wherever at the same time. Also, maybe what’s a good fit for George won’t be a good fit for Charlotte or Louis.

    • Hypocrisy says:

      I think the kids come home for weekends and that they are all boarding for the school week, and I seriously doubt Peggy has ever driven them to school in the morning I doubt he’s sober enough.. I think his drinking is a daily event and it’s become obvious to those that pay attention that the alcohol controls his schedule more than school runs.

      • Becks1 says:

        I agree. I think its clear whatever is going on with him, its getting worse.

      • Chica says:

        Might explain why George and Charlotte had the overnight bags when they met William at helicopter in Windsor a few months back

      • Becks1 says:

        @Chica yes!!! I was going to add that to my post and then forgot. Some of us questioned why Louis wasn’t part of that visit – maybe he was already there after the school run, and Charlotte and George were helicoptered to London after boarding.

    • Blujfly says:

      Not only did Kate board, she boarded starting very young at her grammar school. In fact, her only allegedly formative “bad” experience came as a day student at Downe House.

      • Elizabeth says:

        So if Charlotte and George sometimes board, and Louis is in school most days, including after-school activities, what does Nanny Maria do all day?

      • Jais says:

        Nanny Maria is prob part of the school runs. As for the rest of the day? Planning enrichment activities, lol, idk.

      • Becks1 says:

        My guess is Maria is the one who makes sure school uniforms are clean, lunchboxes are emptied out, shoes and matching socks are ready to go for each day, homework is done, doctor and dentist appointments are scheduled, supplies for a school project are purchased, she might be the one in charge of their rooms and bathrooms etc.

        She probably has a lot of downtime during the hours from 9-3 (or the equivalent) but my guess is when the kids are there she’s probably pretty busy. and yes I’m sure she does the school runs.

    • Yvette says:

      @Becks1 … That would also explain why Charlotte would have ‘burst out in tears’ (as William dutifully reported during a South African intervew) when she saw his beard for the first time. We all surely remember how long it took him to grow that scraggly mess on his face.

  3. YankeeDoodles says:

    I have never understood the case for Eton for a number of reasons. First, having visited the campus, it is almost impossible to secure, logistically. We had people at my boarding school in the US who, while not members of the BRF, were mindful of security (Ivanka Trump, was one, Chelsea Clinton once visited, they were actually friends, in a separate thread) and the campus where we lived was very isolated and completely self-contained. Eton is ….smack in the middle of Windsor. Like, I was there during a day spent between flights, arriving from the UAE, heading to NYC, with a massive layover, and I recall this delirious sensation during the hours I spent there, that the school wasn’t a school at all, it was an Epcot Center-style mockup of a school, like it was a replica, not the real thing. Like, it was a stage set. The whole point is a lot of parents are in the London / Home Counties region and unlike at my school many often see their kids. Also, it’s academically demanding, and if George is not of an academic bent, it’s not ideal. You want to set someone up to succeed, not to fail. Finally, it’s very international, and just based on Kate’s vibe, I’m guessing the blend of Chinese, Indian, African, Arab, Russian, Continental European influences is not her bag. I mean. She’d be a lot happier at her own Alma mater, I’d say. Which is probably why they are clashing. William doesn’t seem like a Marlborough man, pardon the pun, though I think he was a chain smoker for a long time.

    • Becks1 says:

      Security wise though Eton is probably the safest bet, since there is presumably already a security system in place for the other VIP children who go there, and that would probably be amped up if George were to attend.

      Ivanka Trump is not a good analogy because at the time she was just a celebrity’s child.

      Queen Noor’s daughter went to a Baltimore boarding school and they were able to secure it – so I think Eton would be fine.

      If he doesn’t go to Eton – I think it will be because of the academic demands (of course they won’t say that) or because of the international aspect. I also think Kate would prefer the children to go to a school where she would be the queen bee, and she wouldn’t be that at Eton. And because William doesn’t care if its Eton or Marlborough or wherever else they’re looking. If he cares and WANTS George to go to Eton – I think he’ll go to Eton.

      • Starry Owl says:

        I can’t imagine that a boys club like Eton wouldn’t have a rampant amount of bullying and horrific levels of harassment. They are present at day schools and – depending on the toxicity of the school – usually the bully is shielded while the victims are punished. I can’t imagine wanting my kids to go to Eton.

      • Becks1 says:

        oh for sure there are other issues why I think parents might want to avoid Eton – but security is not going to be one of them for George.

  4. Here’s a thought ;does George or all the children board when it’s Pegs turn for the children. Just a thought.

  5. Jais says:

    Side note- the detail about Louis and the sticky fingers. Did we need to know that? Idk, it just feels like one of those details to make Louis appear the naughty/cheeky one. Maybe if it was included with details about Charlotte or George doing something equally silly, it wouldn’t be a big deal. Anyways, good luck to those kids, wherever they go to school.

    • Danielle says:

      That comment did make me think “b*the please, the servants are cleaning that up immediately. Stop complaining”

    • JerseyCow says:

      Agreed Jais, that comment leads to many questions:

      1. Is this a breakfast sandwich? In which case you’re right, Nanny would ensure he washed before leaving. Sidenote, I hope that child is not eating only a jam sandwich for breakfast; not a great start for the day

      2. Is it a lunch sandwich? I went to a not-fancy private school that was nowhere near as expensive as theirs, but provided a hot lunch every day. We did not need to bring our lunches.

      3. If this is a lunch sandwich, again why only a jam sandwich for a meal, that’s hardly nutritionally sufficient. But also are we meant to believe that the child makes his own sandwiches? If yes, see point 1. If not, are the sandwiches not wrapped and put into a lunch bag, or does he just carry it around in his pocket?

      All of their folksy anecdotes tend to ring false when looked at through the eyes of normal people living normal lives.

      • Mayp says:

        @jerseycow: “I hope that child is not eating only a jam sandwich for breakfast; not a great start for the day.” That was the first thing that jumped out at me. Not a very nutritional start to the day. Also, when Louis was younger, the Wales would imply that he was hyperactive (Kate would talk about him running around the garden to expel his superfluous energy).. Maybe it’s all those da*n jam sandwiches!

      • Hypocrisy says:

        My kids went to private single gender schools, I packed a lunch every day they attended school, private schools like the public schools around me catered in food and most of it was fast food. I’m not sure if British schools do the same.

    • Eurydice says:

      Yes, this struck me right away. Louis is still painted as “the little scamp.” And there’s no way he’s all sticky with jam when he gets in the car. He’s 8, not 3.

    • QuiteContrary says:

      I actually hate when parents designate one kid as the naughty one and are constantly telling anecdotes about that kid’s naughtiness.

      It doesn’t just happen in the royal family and it’s gross.

    • Hypocrisy says:

      Peggy is using Louie as a shield like he used to do with his brother.. I expect the “cheeky Louie” narrative to become more noticeable especially when they need to deflect from George’s teenage bad decisions.

    • Inge says:

      I remember a very young Charlotte being described as something like a perfect little lady whilst George was always naughty & loud & that has now been transferred to Louis.

      I do have to wonder how it affects your early years when the whole world is told how naughty you are

  6. Blithe says:

    Good for the kids. I remember reading about Lambrook’s flexible boarding, even as I thought that keeping the kids as day students might say more about the adult’s needs in this particular family than the kids’ needs and wishes. I hope this means that Will and Kate are supporting George and Charlotte’s wishes as they gain more independence, enjoy fun experiences with their peers, and enjoy the relative privacy and security of spending time at school.

  7. YankeeDoodles says:

    The joke about Ivanka at Choate was that she was being stashed away from the Russian mafia because her father owed them money. This was in 1999. Make of that what you will.

    • Becks1 says:

      I mean if she was being hidden it wasn’t a very good hiding job since it was very well publicized she went there, lol.

      • YankeeDoodles says:

        Was it? I graduated in ‘94, my brother overlapped with her, I had no idea until I literally walked into her on moving day and she was actually very nice.

      • Becks1 says:

        oh yeah, it definitely was. I think I first read it in a teen magazine, lol. I had college friends who graduated with her and they all said that – she was very nice, some were actually good friends with her. I think….Joe Scarborough…once said that Ivanka and Donald Jr (believe it or not) were the most well mannered teens he had met. But obviously something changed (although I guess you can have manners and still be an awful person, lol.)

      • Sarah says:

        I graduated in 91 and I knew that Ivanka was there after me!

  8. Starry Owl says:

    Ugh. In my opinion, this could actually be “good parenting”. I mean – good nannying or good school counselor is much more like it but you get my drift.

    If the kids are slowly being introduced to the concept of boarding so that they aren’t overwhelmed by that aspect when they start at a boarding school – that would make sense and honestly be a really good thing. Having a familiarity with that aspect of life would really take away some stress from moving schools.

    Regardless of the thought not put or put into the kids boarding – I hope that it’s something positive in their life.

  9. Tessa says:

    The jam fingerprints sounds like a bogus story. Nanny maria would make sure he would wash his hands. And it’s stereotyping Louis and the “mischievous one.”

    • Me at home says:

      I hate that William did this to (told this story about) Louis.

      And agree, much of this interview doesn’t seem credible. Take the stuff about Kate having Early Years briefings spread all over their bed. I mean, maybe she did that the night before she left for Italy, but don’t try to tell us she does that on a regular basis, or as a way of trying to slip in that they do share a bedroom and a bed. Much of the interview seemed bogus.

  10. Jegede says:

    I started boarding at 10.

    I was happy to be away from home ( I read too much Mallory Towers😏😏😏), but HATED that particular school.

  11. Rachel says:

    Yeah it could also be that they are choosing to board sometimes because they like their classmates and have made friends and don’t want to miss out on spending more time together.

    The boarding is not the problem. The lying about the school run to avoid work is.

  12. Amy Bee says:

    This revelation undermines the narrative that Kate is opposed to the children going to boarding school. I think George is likely a full-time boarder by now. It’s understandable that if all his friends are boarders that he might want to be a boarder too. I still believe that George will be attending Eton later this year.

  13. tara says:

    if the kids ae boarding, that could also explain charlotte’s reaction to William growing a beard.

    • Interested Gawker says:

      And why the kids’ birthday photos are so often reworked from altered, older pictures.

    • Yvette says:

      @Tara … Sorry! I said this up sream. Should have waited until I’d read all the comments. Great minds, and all that jazz. 🙂

  14. Harla says:

    I imagine that George, being almost 13, enjoys any time he can get away from his parents as is pretty normal for a teenager. I do wonder if any of the Wales children find WandK’s style of parenting, attending every event, every recital, etc to be rather smothering? In my day, parents worked all day so didn’t attend most events unless they were held at night or on the weekend.

    • Becks1 says:

      I attend almost everything for my kids (my job is flexible and when I was teleworking more, it was pretty easy.) Last year I had to lead a training and couldn’t get out of it so told my then seventh grader that I wouldn’t be able to help at his field day.

      He literally said “oh thank god, you don’t have to come to EVERY thing” lololol. So yes, I can believe there might be some smothering.

      But also – maybe they aren’t at every event, recital, etc, we’re just being told that they are.

  15. Irisrose says:

    Are they going to need a new forever home in Northamptonshire now?

  16. suoutdoors says:

    Why would the Walses have to do the school run at all? As soon as someone of them is leaving their vast estate several protection officers are by their side. These guys a perfectly able to chauffeur the kids on their own, right?

  17. Henny Penny says:

    The initials for Bulletproof Sunshine are BS. BS needs to make sure William gets more practice before interviews if she wants to public to start believing this BS.

    For all this talk about William being a family man dedicated to doing every school run, it’s obvious to anyone with eyes to see that William’s children do not feel comfortable around him. George, in particular, looks the most strained to my eyes. I feel for his situation. His grandfather ruined the royal mystique when he picked the horse over the real Princess. William is an incompetent ninny with zero diplomatic skills and a serious anger management problem. And neither man seems even remotely interested in George. Leaving me to wonder who is actually raising George.

    The problem with monarchies is that it forces a situation where your child is actually your competitor and even adversary. It’s sick. I hope William destroys it before everyone blames George.

    • BLACK ELDERBERRY says:

      These children don’t seem to have much of a bond with their parents, but they still feel more at ease with their father than with Kate, who does nothing but scold them, wave her finger in their faces, and lean in when she sees a photographer taking their picture.
      This lack of closeness is especially noticeable when you compare Zara’s children, for example.

      As for the boarding school, I’m afraid the children spend more time there than with their fighting parents living in separate homes.

  18. Inge says:

    What was a weird comment he made in the interview for me was them in the morning sorting out who needs what for school(such as a guitar) & whether they would be boarding.

    Surely the RPO’s would need to be informed in time so they can make plans? If the children board then I’m guessing the RPO stays over as well.

    Also doesnt nanny Maria take care of what they have to have with them for school?

  19. therese says:

    Those were my thoughts. Will can’t attend to business because he has a habit, or addiction. He def sounds like a person with secrets; looks like it too. I was going to say that I feel sorry for little George and his siblings, but getting out of the house, away from all his family and making friends with normal people may be his salvation. Hope the kids make good friends and have fun.

  20. Lady Digby says:

    Recently there were comments that B and E had good manners because they had been mainly brought up by nannies and attended good schools. Neither Andrew nor Fergie are decent people or good parents. How damaged were their daughters by the parents fecklessness and dodgy associations plus all the pain of endless publicity about their parents antics. These three children have had a nanny their entire lives and also go to good schools. A wonderful boarding school could be a real blessing if things are bad at home? I really would hope that each child in the family gets to decide on the right secondary school for them, whether it is boarding or not.

  21. jferber says:

    My God, the sacred school run? The sole reason why neither Will nor Kate can really work apart from that obligation/chore/gift? Which children are driven where exactly when (and back)? My head is spinning. I believe a full investigation is called for STAT!

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