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Prince George’s new school.

(132 Posts)
Grandma70s Tue 16-Jun-26 13:30:04

I’m very disappointed to learn he’s going to Eton. Not that there’s anything wrong with the school, but I feel the family had the option to be more progressive. I’d like to have seen him go to a co-educational school like Marlborough, where Catherine went. It seems that tradition wins and nothing changes.

M0nica Wed 17-Jun-26 21:12:09

paddyann54

Aren,t ALL schools supposed to be safe?
After Dunblane schools are secured from unwanted visitors doors locked and entry for everyone checked.
Maybe these royal children should see how the rest of us live and understand that they are not universally liked/loved .
That might stop the entitled behaviour of them as adults!
A good dose of reality can only be for their benefit

I doubt if any member of the Royal family for several generations, if ever, has considered themselves to be we universally liked/loved.

Considering the immense security they have to live under and the number of assassination attempts on Royalty of all nationalities, including the British, I think they are probably even more conscious than most of how ambivalent many people are to them.

A school being safe is not the same as a school being secure. Nobody can be blind to the number of stabbings there have been inside supposedly 'safe' schools. What are the chances that child would try and stab Prince George because it would make him famous. The security detail needed to keep the young Prince safe would inevitably come between him and any kind of normal school experience or building frienships.

Eton is a school attended by the sons of many wealthy people and royalty, who have serious security concerns around their children. It is a school with the necessary experience to enable Prince George to enjoy a normal education, where he is just one of many at a a school rather than one singled out one that has to be treated differently.

ferry23 Wed 17-Jun-26 18:17:35

DamaskRose

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 to Merlotgran and Rosie51 for their sensible posts and 👎🏻 to paddyann for her typically nasty one! George will be well aware of his position and that not everyone likes him as will all those in public life.
I live near Gordonstoun and have friends who sent their children there when the state system let them down. I would have considered it for my children had they needed to go. It is a completely different school now than in the King’s day. Is it right for George? No, I don’t think so. At Eton he will be near his family and will be able to see them regularly and be taken out by them. His parents will have considered all possibilities before reaching this decision.
I hope George will be happy and will thrive there.

Great post DamaskRose. Says it all smile

grumppa Wed 17-Jun-26 18:00:11

I briefly taught at Eton many years ago (supply teaching post), and was impressed by the quality of my colleagues, which I don't suppose has deteriorated. In class, the boys were just like boys in any class. It is a good school. As for security, it must help those responsible for the royal family that it is so close to back-up at Windsor Castle, just down the road.

tabbie Wed 17-Jun-26 17:35:23

I hope he is happy at his school.
I hope he does not become Prince of Wales during his time there.

Shelflife Wed 17-Jun-26 17:32:32

I wish Prince George well at Eton school and hope he will be happy there. His school will have been chosen with great care and rightly so. He is a future monarch and as such his education is paramount !

Boz Wed 17-Jun-26 17:30:20

Eton has produced some brilliant actors - Dominic West, Hugh Laurie, Tom Hiddlestone, Eddie Redmayne - Not that George will need to tread the boards but drama 'ups' your confidence and trains your voice which he will need in the future.

karmalady Wed 17-Jun-26 17:15:39

What a lovely post Damaskrose

Eton is perfect for George and I think he will be very happy there. The parents have chosen well

DamaskRose Wed 17-Jun-26 17:05:54

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 to Merlotgran and Rosie51 for their sensible posts and 👎🏻 to paddyann for her typically nasty one! George will be well aware of his position and that not everyone likes him as will all those in public life.
I live near Gordonstoun and have friends who sent their children there when the state system let them down. I would have considered it for my children had they needed to go. It is a completely different school now than in the King’s day. Is it right for George? No, I don’t think so. At Eton he will be near his family and will be able to see them regularly and be taken out by them. His parents will have considered all possibilities before reaching this decision.
I hope George will be happy and will thrive there.

Mollygo Wed 17-Jun-26 16:46:16

paddyann54

Maybe these royal children should see how the rest of us live and understand that they are not universally liked/loved.

I wish I didn’t believe you mean that. It’s the sort of bullying language I came up against when I moved schools, and I’m nowhere near nobility.

Sadly I think your
A good dose of reality can only be for their benefit.
means that some of the other children and even more sadly , their parents would make sure they knew that not everyone likes them!^

And you wish that on a child? Any child? Really?

Rosie51 your post,
Such nastiness aimed at an innocent child. I think they're becoming well used to the idea that some hate them just because of the family they've been born into.

is well put,
as is

merlotgran’s
I don’t like the thought of using a child as an experiment just to satisfy the ambivalent attitudes of some.
Fine if it works but what if it doesn’t?

MartavTaurus Wed 17-Jun-26 16:39:41

Exactly, pamdixon.
Some posters believe that such schools set out to produce entitled, indulged humans, otherwise known as toffs.
But what do they know!

pamdixon Wed 17-Jun-26 16:09:47

Sorry to disappoint you people who disapprove of Eton, but my 2 sons went there years ago and the education was stunning, and both my boys were very different levels academically and both thrived there. They emerged very well rounded individuals, and if you met them today you would have no idea they'd even been to Public School - let alone Eton! I am sure George will thrive there too and they are well used to providing security to all sorts of pupils that we know nothing about! I am sure its the right choice for him. If he hadn't passed his Common Entrance exam he wouldn't have been accepted............

merlotgran Wed 17-Jun-26 15:45:47

paddyann54

Aren,t ALL schools supposed to be safe?
After Dunblane schools are secured from unwanted visitors doors locked and entry for everyone checked.
Maybe these royal children should see how the rest of us live and understand that they are not universally liked/loved .
That might stop the entitled behaviour of them as adults!
A good dose of reality can only be for their benefit

I don’t like the thought of using a child as an experiment just to satisfy the ambivalent attitudes of some.
Fine if it works but what if it doesn’t?

Rosie51 Wed 17-Jun-26 15:44:43

paddyann54

Aren,t ALL schools supposed to be safe?
After Dunblane schools are secured from unwanted visitors doors locked and entry for everyone checked.
Maybe these royal children should see how the rest of us live and understand that they are not universally liked/loved .
That might stop the entitled behaviour of them as adults!
A good dose of reality can only be for their benefit

Such nastiness aimed at an innocent child. I think they're becoming well used to the idea that some hate them just because of the family they've been born into. The crass booing at the trooping of the colour demonstrated that.

Sago Wed 17-Jun-26 15:38:03

paddyann54

Aren,t ALL schools supposed to be safe?
After Dunblane schools are secured from unwanted visitors doors locked and entry for everyone checked.
Maybe these royal children should see how the rest of us live and understand that they are not universally liked/loved .
That might stop the entitled behaviour of them as adults!
A good dose of reality can only be for their benefit

I have never read of any entitled behaviour from William.

Cornishgreenhouse Wed 17-Jun-26 15:32:22

And where he schools should be your choice and not that of him or his parents? Really???

paddyann54 Wed 17-Jun-26 15:30:22

Aren,t ALL schools supposed to be safe?
After Dunblane schools are secured from unwanted visitors doors locked and entry for everyone checked.
Maybe these royal children should see how the rest of us live and understand that they are not universally liked/loved .
That might stop the entitled behaviour of them as adults!
A good dose of reality can only be for their benefit

ReadyMeals Wed 17-Jun-26 15:25:35

I did read a couple of years ago when they were first thinking where to send him that George himself liked the idea of Eton rather than Marlborough. Its also well used to pupils who need extra security so it's not as disruptive as some schools might find it.

Grantanow Wed 17-Jun-26 15:13:16

Cornishgreenhouse

What business is it of ours anyway?
They are sensible parents who have taken time and advice from others who have far more knowledge than we do on the matter. I’m sure George too would have had an input into the choice and looked around the different schools. I’m curious that others feel the need to even challenge what surely has been a very well considered decision.

Of course it's our business. The Royals are a constitutional monarchy funded from the Civil List.

Barbadosbelle Wed 17-Jun-26 15:08:29

Vegansrock

I"ve read that William would often turn up unexpectedly at Windsor for Afternoon Tea with his Granny. They enjoyed each other's company.
.

MartavTaurus Wed 17-Jun-26 15:05:37

Barbadosbelle

Essexgirl145

There isn't anything you can reply to someone, possibly a Mother, who doesn't want the best for their child?
.

As a Head, I used to serenely reply, " Well, I'm sorry to hear that. Your child probably wouldn't be the right for this school anyway! Can I suggest you take a look at X, Y, or Z educational establishments." 😆

I respect everyone's choices.

Barbadosbelle Wed 17-Jun-26 14:58:41

Essexgirl145

There isn't anything you can reply to someone, possibly a Mother, who doesn't want the best for their child?
.

Barbadosbelle Wed 17-Jun-26 14:54:59

GrannyGravy13

All very logical
.

Chocolatelovinggran Wed 17-Jun-26 14:50:20

Historic data suggests that girls in single sex schools outperform their peers, and boys in single sex schools do less well than their peers in mixed schools.

4allweknow Wed 17-Jun-26 14:46:40

Perhaps Eton is the choice more for security reasons.

westendgirl Wed 17-Jun-26 14:45:33

Eton does offer a range of scholarships to support students from various background.There was a documentary on BBC about a child from a modest background called the Eton experience.
Cornishgreenhouse I do agree with you point about what business is it of ours.I am sure they will have looked in depth at schools .