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The royal family

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

mikado1 · 17/12/2023 21:58

ANightingale · 17/12/2023 21:39

was a dig at private schooling itself.

Public schools, really, and elitism, not private schools as a whole. Eton charges around £50k a year - significantly more than the average gross full time wage in the UK.

Oh sorry, yes, public schools, I'm Irish so forgot that term as we here, public schools are state schools!

AppleCrispMacchiato · 17/12/2023 22:13

goodbyestranger · 17/12/2023 15:43

I see the point but if he’s not going to make exceptions to the admissions criteria then this would be the best possible example Simon Henderson could have. There’s a reason for the criteria - if a child won’t thrive and/ or Eton isn’t a good fit, then it’s in the child’s best interests (and the schools’) that the child goes elsewhere. The timing of the article is interesting.

Out of curiosity, why "interesting timing"?

George is of an age where he's going to be starting his big school soon, and the tabloids have been printing articles claiming that George is attending Marlborough/Eton/Grange Hill/school on the moon, all worded in the most goady way possible, pretty much every single week for a year, and they all contradict themselves all the time.

None of these articles are real. And there's nothing to say that he even will be attending Marlborough, just tabloid nonsense. Kate visiting doesn't prove he'll be going there, it's just tabloid fodder. They're probably visiting all the schools under consideration.

AuroraCake · 17/12/2023 23:06

I think they will go to Wellington. Near, they can flexi board. Co ed.

I doubt any of them will be bright enough for Eton and Eton isn’t exactly easy for security; and Marlborough while lovely and very contained, they will fully board and I can’t see Kate wanting that.

Rollonfriday22 · 17/12/2023 23:17

@AuroraCake what makes you/people think they won’t be bright? I’m just curious! Is it just from when you’ve seen them on tv etc?

theduchessofspork · 17/12/2023 23:18

They are probably looking at a few

They could all go to Marlborough so that would be an advantage

theduchessofspork · 17/12/2023 23:20

AuroraCake · 17/12/2023 23:06

I think they will go to Wellington. Near, they can flexi board. Co ed.

I doubt any of them will be bright enough for Eton and Eton isn’t exactly easy for security; and Marlborough while lovely and very contained, they will fully board and I can’t see Kate wanting that.

Edited

She and her siblings went to Marborough and were happy.

I think by 13 as long as the kids want to K and W will assume they will board, it’s still very popular

SgtJuneAckland · 17/12/2023 23:33

Why is everyone assuming the children aren't bright? They've had a first class education so far, Kate at least has a decent education and got into university on merit, I also thought William was the smarter of the two brothers? Albeit he's not going to set the world on fire.

Even aside from that both of my parents left school at 14, with nothing but a Pittman's shorthand and typing qualification between them. I have two undergraduate degrees, a post grad and professional qualifications. Good job people didn't write me off because my parents weren't academic. I also had to survive state schooling in East London in the 80/90s.

AuroraCake · 17/12/2023 23:49

This reply has been withdrawn

This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

AuroraCake · 17/12/2023 23:52

SgtJuneAckland · 17/12/2023 23:33

Why is everyone assuming the children aren't bright? They've had a first class education so far, Kate at least has a decent education and got into university on merit, I also thought William was the smarter of the two brothers? Albeit he's not going to set the world on fire.

Even aside from that both of my parents left school at 14, with nothing but a Pittman's shorthand and typing qualification between them. I have two undergraduate degrees, a post grad and professional qualifications. Good job people didn't write me off because my parents weren't academic. I also had to survive state schooling in East London in the 80/90s.

No one’s saying they aren’t. But Eton is another kettle of fish. Doesn’t mean people that go there are necessarily very bright either. Kate did well at school, and let’s face it has a posh girls degree, and William was certainly the more academic brother but even in his year the average grades were all A’s. So even his ones were probably amongst the lowest in Year.

MariaLuna · 17/12/2023 23:54

Thank god he's not going to Eton though - look how Harry, Bozza and David Cameron turned out 😱

Well, exactly!

AuroraCake · 18/12/2023 00:00

Eddie Redmayne…same year as William. Hiddleston…maybe year above? Dominic West. Damien Lewis…they aren’t all insufferable.

Rollonfriday22 · 18/12/2023 00:04

That’s interesting. Thanks for your response.

Namenumber3 · 18/12/2023 00:08

goodbyestranger · 17/12/2023 15:30

The current head of Eton is certainly principled enough to refuse to make exceptions, if the tests (results just out) showed that a child, however titled, wouldn’t thrive.

Bollocks. Having the future King top trumps anything.

ImperialCrusade · 18/12/2023 00:11

It would make sense them staying in a co-ed school for seniors with them being in boy - girl - boy birth order. Otherwise there would be several years when they were spread out over three different schools (George & Charlotte at separate senior schools and Louis still at Lambrook). Plus boys schools seem not be the in thing any more - all but a handful have gone co-ed.

AuroraCake · 18/12/2023 00:15

Eton is thinking of admitting girls in 6th or something. Anyway I’ve always been convinced the move out of London was because of school issue. Security around a London school such as Westminster would be a nightmare and I felt they moved out to send them to one in easy distance.

A lot of royals have gone to Eton. All Princess Margaret’s grandsons etc.

although she sent her children to Bedales. Bit of a different vibe. Loads of the girls have gone to school in Windsor.

goodbyestranger · 18/12/2023 00:23

Namenumber3 no it absolutely doesn’t. Not any more.

crumblingschools · 18/12/2023 00:28

@goodbyestranger you seem to know a lot about Eton

ANightingale · 18/12/2023 08:09

Whether bright or not, the children will have the best education money can buy - no doubt including additional one-to-one tuition in any weaker areas and special coaching for the Common Entrance exam - they will be brought up to the needed standards.

takemehomecountryroads · 18/12/2023 08:10

People actually care about this stuff?

Original poster
Greatballzoffire · 18/12/2023 08:54

@takemehomecountryroads well you cared enough to take the time to open this thread & post 🙄

OP posts:
EdithWeston · 18/12/2023 09:14

takemehomecountryroads · 18/12/2023 08:10

People actually care about this stuff?

Yes - that's kind of the point of The Royal Family Topic.

And the education of the future head of state is proper public interest (not just public curiosity)

goodbyestranger · 18/12/2023 09:19

Whether bright or not, the children will have the best education money can buy - no doubt including additional one-to-one tuition in any weaker areas and special coaching for the Common Entrance exam - they will be brought up to the needed standards

ANightingale you have a touching faith in being able to buy the ability to pass exams. Year after year after year there are countless disappointed parents up and down the country (but mostly in London and the SE :)) who are devastated by their DC's failure to pass the 11+/ admissions tests for the top independent schools despite spending a small fortune on schools and/ or tutoring. And those sorts of parent, even where their DC has managed to get into a very good school, are equally devastated when the same happens in relation to Oxford and Cambridge. Money can help but with modest ability it can only help so far. It isn't sufficient to break into the very top schools and unis. That is why the point about exceptions not being made is important. No doubt Eton has let big name applicants in previously in its history but probably not going forward and frankly, if a child isn't up to the challenge of the school, it's far kinder to direct him somewhere less taxing.

Samcro · 18/12/2023 09:24

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This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

someone always says this, that they know someone who knows something.
its awful to think this "someone" if they exist most likely works in education and is gossiping about a young child.

Marmiteidea · 18/12/2023 09:24

ANightingale · 17/12/2023 10:54

Have to laugh at this:

"Both Eton and Marlborough have similar application processes involving assessments and interviews that begin when pupils are George's age."

As if they'd reject his application!

Maybe he was rejected from Aston and that is why they are looking elsewhere. I’m sure Elton has a very transparent and fair application system and maybe George didn’t make the cut.

goodbyestranger · 18/12/2023 09:25

Samcro sometimes people know stuff and sometimes people share what they know. That's life.