Prince George at Eton

[squashyhat]

Can anyone explain why Prince George is boarding at Eton when the family home is just minutes away across the river?

My dad was military and it was an option for us to go to boarding school here when he was posted to the Far East. This was early 60s.

We didn't go, we went with parents but it was something some military families did.

I would assume, like some people on here, they want a boarding experience for their child.

Because that's what upper class folk and royals do. And he will get a chance to mix with the important folk of the future.

Yes, I think that's a fair point.

That's why they used to be used - get the kid away from the servants and everyone that fusses around them.

Boarding schools used to be used because educational opportunities for everyone were limited and few people had a secondary school within daily travelling distance. If you wanted to educate your child for a career or profession, boarding school often was the only option.

it is all a facade that is created to keep the royalists fawning over them.

Ooh, didn't have my bingo card ready.

Obsessed with the image of Kate popping to the local comp in her range rover and dry robe 😄

Plus his parents can pop over for matches twice a week

Well according to the league tables 78% of their A level results were A* or A, and 85% of all their GCSEs were grades 8 or 9 (and 94% were 7/8/9) so I don't think they're all thick as shit these days...

I agree that he will just be another kid at Eton and it's the most normality he'll experience. The teachers are used to having royals and wealthy families and won't treat him any differently than others and coming from Lambrook he'll just be another one of that cohort.

Through no fault of his own he's not a "normal" kid and if he went to Windsor Boys he wouldn't have a "normal" experience there either.

If he went to the local Comprehensive it woukd be hell for the other families.

Because like lots of wealthy families, his parents have outsourced their parenting to paid staff. It's normal for them, sadly.

Eton doesn’t have day pupils, it’s boarding or nothing.

A more interesting question to me, is whether he actually got through the rigorous entrance exam with high enough marks such that he would have been offered a place even if he wasn’t in the RF.

Whatever happened to ‘my bubs my rules’?

Has anyone considered that they might have actually asked their child where they wanted to go?

As for psychologically damaging? It depends on the school. Schooldays can be miserable or a delight - whether you board or not.

Eton in boarding only

Yes I wonder this, they had an online learning course for a bit and their exam papers are online, they are HARD. It’s ability before poshness now (although the price tag does help the latter). They have a huge endowment and can offer almost sliding scale of financial support to whatever boys they want. Bit more like Harvard and Yale with their huge endowment funds than other schools.

A lot of parents try and do what's best for their children, rather than what's best for them. This is one of the word's very best schools, and if he has the right temperament to board, I imagine he will have an amazing time. I feel very sorry for any child who wouldn't be allowed to take up an opportunity like this just because mummy would miss them. Children aren't pets, their purpose isn't to provide company for their parents.

No boarding school wants a child who doesn’t want to be there, it’s incredibly disruptive for other pupils and staff.

Yes, sometimes it doesn’t work out for a particular child - and then the staff and their parents do their best to resolve the situation.

I think Boarding School is not an unusual choice for an upper class family.Those of us without experience of this enviroment may baulk at it ,but it works for many families .He will be able to "pop home" here and there, and many other boys may not have this option or live abroad for example.He will be safe inside the school and has been boarding here and there at Lambrook to get him used to it.Eton has no day boys anyway

Because he shouldn't be treated any differently from the others. It's probably the closest he will get to normalcy in his whole life.

The Princess of Wales went to a well known boarding school for a short time and was very unhappy there. Her parents withdrew her and she later went to Marlborough where, by all accounts, she was very happy

Whether boarding or not, it's a case of finding the right 'fit' for each child

My feeling is that Prince William fitted in very well at Eton but Prince Harry less so. It will be interesting to see if the Wales's send Prince Louis to Eton or whether they feel a different school would be more suitable for him . . . .

Prince George and his parents have arrived for his first day at his new school.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwyzel3qjvzo

Why would he not have?
Royals do their exams under another name exactly so that no one knows who they really are.
Eton is very choosy; they don't need to admit on titles,even the second heir apparent. But maybe you know something about his academic ability?

boarding school trauma is common in lots of families too

I've thought that he has looked more relaxed lately than he did when he was younger. He certainly doesn't look worried today, in the brief footage of him arriving at school with his parents.

what a great video they all look so happy