Prince George is set to move on to secondary school in the summer of 2026, and his parents are said to be carefully considering their options for where the future king will continue his education
She may be destined to become Queen, but Kate’s top priority remains ensuring her children flourish. Both she and Prince William are recognised for prioritising their three children, Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7, above all other commitments.
The couple are understood to handle the school runs personally whenever feasible, and dedicate most school breaks to spending quality time with the Royal children.
George, particularly, carries considerable weight on his young shoulders as the heir apparent, with his future path already mapped out – and Kate is understood to be determined to make sound decisions regarding his education and development, helping to prepare him properly for what lies ahead. Currently, all three Wales children are pupils at Lambrook School – just a brief journey from their new residence at Forest Lodge.
Sources close to the family have described the property as their “forever home”, with the couple understood to be paying commercial rates for the estate, which became their residence during the autumn months. However, at 12 years old, the second-in-line to the throne is approaching a significant transition and preparing to move to a different institution for the remainder of his secondary schooling.
The Times reveals that William and Kate are weighing up their choices carefully for George’s next school, with their eldest son’s wellbeing being the primary concern when making the ultimate decision. The couple’s own alma maters, Eton College and Marlborough College, are understood to be the leading contenders at present for where George will study next, though no official confirmation has been made about where the future monarch will attend, reports The Mirror.
While Eton, where both William and Harry were educated, is exclusively for boys and costs upwards of £63,000 annually, Marlborough – which charges parents £61,809 per year for boarding – accepts both boys and girls, potentially allowing all three siblings to attend the same institution when Charlotte and Louis are ready to move on.
“Motherhood is daunting enough, but the stakes are even higher when you’re raising a king,” according to The Times. This explains why Kate is experiencing “the pressure to ‘get it right’”.
Away from the public eye, the report suggests, the future Queen is committed to maintaining as much normality as possible for George, providing him with a high-quality upbringing whilst ensuring he does his bit within the family as well. “It’s why the school runs, and sporting fixtures are important, as is time with grandparents Carole and Michael Middleton. [George] is also used to helping on errands, with one Windsor local recalling how they once bumped into a young Prince George at a soft furnishings shop where he was happily eating orange segments while granny Carole picked up fabric samples.”
Kate’s commitment to early years development, which she considers her “life’s work”, plays a significant role in this approach. Her dedication to the subject has given her a deep understanding of the importance of connection and healthy childhoods in shaping successful adults and a balanced society.
She is particularly mindful of ensuring that her son does not experience excessive “loneliness,” due to his unique future – a sentiment echoed by King Charles when he was 21 years old, acknowledging the potential for solitude to afflict the heir to the throne.
“Out of certain necessity, I’ve perhaps been more lonely,” Charles confessed in an interview during his youth. “I haven’t made a lot of friends. I haven’t been to a lot of parties. Essentially, it is, I suppose, compared with other people’s lives, more lonely.”
By providing George and his siblings with a more grounded upbringing, Kate hopes to prevent this “toxic” condition from affecting them.
