The OTHER schools with the royal seal of approval! As the Cambridges enrol at £21,000-a-year Lambrook, a look inside the other institutions fit for a prince – from Wales’ ‘Hippie Hogwarts’ to Switzerland’s ‘school of kings’
- William, Kate and their children are going to move to Adelaide Cottage, Windsor
- Three children will all be sent to the nearby £21,000-a-year Lambrook School
- Here, Femail reveals the other prestigious schools which are favoured by royalty
- Two princesses attend Wales’ UWC Atlantic College, known as ‘Hippie Hogwarts’
- Other royal families choose £110,000-a-year Institut Le Rosey, in Switzerland
Prince William and Kate Middleton will send their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, to the prestigious £21,000-a-year Lambrook School following their move to Adelaide Cottage in Windsor, it was confirmed today.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are seeking a life away from the ‘fishbowl’ of their current official residence of Kensington Palace in London, where they have been based since 2017, in a bid to put their children first and give the ‘most normal’ life possible.
The couple have been planning a move to Berkshire since last year and royal aides have now revealed their children will all go to the same school, which is about seven miles away from their new home, from September.
A source said: ‘This is very much a decision that two parents have made to give their children the “most normal” start possible. KP can be a little bit of a fishbowl.
‘They wanted to be able to give George, Charlotte and Louis a bit more freedom than they have living in central London. It’s very much a decision that’s been led by the kids.’
Kensington Palace confirmed the family will be moving to Adelaide Cottage before the school term begins.
William and Kate had been known to have set their heart on the outdoorsy preparatory school Lambrook, with its 52 acres of grounds, for their youngsters where fees will cost the Duke and Duchess in excess of £50,000 a year.
But it’s not the only prestigious institution to win royal seal of approval – and here, FEMAIL takes a peek behind the gates of the schools favoured by royalty.
For instance, UWC Atlantic College, in Wales, boasts two European princesses – including a future queen – among its current student body.
Elsewhere, Institut Le Rosey in Rolle, Switzerland, is known as the ‘school of kings’ thanks to its rollcall of former royal students – and eye-watering £110,000-a-year school fees.
LAMBROOK
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are seeking a life away from the ‘fishbowl’ of their current official residence of Kensington Palace in London, where they have been based since 2017, in a bid to put their children (pictured together in London on June 20, 2022) first and give the ‘most normal’ life possible
All three children – George, Charlotte and Louis – will be sent to the prestigious £21,000-a-year Lambrook School (pictured) in Berkshire
Set in 52 acres of Berkshire countryside, Lambrook School gives its pupils ‘feathers to fly’ and a ‘delicious sense of freedom
Future king George, nine, and Charlotte, seven, and four-year-old Louis will enjoy first class facilities at Lambrook including a swimming pool, sports pitches and new £6 million academic and ICT building.
The day and boarding school offers both weekly boarding and flexi boarding for the older two – where they can opt for a night’s stay as and when they choose, but George and Charlotte will be day pupils for now.
The Good Schools Guide describes how youngsters get to ‘run and run’ in vast grounds with ‘total freedom to explore, provided you’ve got your wellies on’, with Lambrook’s pastoral care described as excellent.
Jonathan Perry, headmaster at Lambrook School, said he looked forward to the Cambridge children starting.
‘We are delighted that Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis will be joining us this coming September and very much look forward to welcoming the family, as well as all of our new pupils, to our school community,’ Mr Perry said.
It is the first time Lambrook has been chosen for a future king and his siblings.
William and Kate will be spending in excess of £53,000 a year on their children’s private education.
Fees cost £4,389 a term for Reception to Year 2 pupils such as Louis, £6,448 per term for Years 3-4 like Charlotte, and £6,999 per term for George through Years 5-8.
The bill amounts to £53,508’s worth of fees in 2021-2022, not factoring in any future boarding which costs £1,481 per term per pupil for Y3-8, potential sibling discount if available, fee increases or the cost of uniform or trips.
Lambrook School, which has existed since 1860, is also where two of Queen Victoria’s grandsons, Prince Christian Victor and Prince Albert of Schleswig-Holstein, were pupils in 1878.
Queen Victoria used to travel from Windsor Castle to Lambrook to watch her grandchildren in plays and cricket matches – and parked her carriage where the new Queen’s building now stands so she could watch from there.
Set in 52 acres of idyllic Berkshire countryside, Lambrook gives its pupils ‘feathers to fly’ and a ‘delicious sense of freedom’.
Its new royal charges will enjoy a nurturing education at the wholesome, co-educational independent day and boarding school for three to 13-year-olds near Ascot, just a 10-minute drive from their new home in Windsor.
Which four properties do William and Kate now have available to use?
– Kensington Palace Apartment 1A
Their central London home, Apartment 1A at Kensington Palace, used to belong to Princess Margaret, and will remain their official working residence. It was refurbished at a cost of £4.5million to the taxpayer with a new roof and electrics, and the removal of asbestos.
It has some 20 rooms and a large, private walled garden. The Cambridges added a second kitchen, wanting a private family one in addition to the existing 350 sq ft kitchen.
Before William and Kate moved to ‘KP’ in 2013, royal aides insisted it would remain their main home for ‘many, many years to come’.
A royal spokesman said at the time: ‘This is the duke and duchess’s one and only official residence. It is here that they plan to stay for many, many years to come.’
– Anmer Hall
Anmer Hall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s 10-bedroom country retreat, was a gift to the couple from the Queen following their wedding.
The secluded red brick Georgian mansion sits on the monarch’s vast, private Sandringham estate in Norfolk and is a short drive from Sandringham House.
Kate oversaw the major renovations, including the conversion of wood stores into accommodation for the nanny and the creation of a garden room.
The duchess was dubbed ‘Three kitchens Kate’ after it was reported that a new kitchen was to be installed in place of the £50,000 designer one already there, with the family already having two kitchens at Kensington Palace.
The bolt-hole, which had a swimming pool and a tennis court, was given a £500,000 new roof, as well as a garden room, re-landscaped front driveway and new nursery for Prince George and Princess Charlotte.
The renovations, said to come to £1.5 million, were paid for mostly from the royal family’s private funds.
– Tam-Na-Ghar
William is also said to have a cottage called Tam-Na-Ghar on the Balmoral estate, given to him by his great-grandmother the Queen Mother in 2002.
While dating, university flatmates William and Kate spent romantic weekends at the three-bedroom former game keeper’s house and Kate was taught to shoot and fish.
The remote Highland retreat is reportedly close to Birkhall and used by the Cambridge family as a holiday home if travelling to Balmoral in the summer.
– Adelaide Cottage
The Grade II listed four-bed house in Windsor’s private Home Park is William and Kate’s newest home.
Owned by the Crown Estate, the duke and duchess will pay market rent on the picturesque historic building which is close to Windsor Castle.
It was built in 1831 for Queen Adelaide as a summer retreat and used to be the grace and favour home of Peter Townsend, whose love affair with Princess Margaret rocked the monarchy in the 1950s.
The prospectus quoted one parent as saying: ‘It’s the most magical place for our children to spend time, and they can often be seen rosy-cheeked and perfecting handstands, throwing balls or racing to the tree stumps.’
There is school on Saturday mornings followed by an afternoon of sports fixtures for pupils in Year 5 and above which includes nine-year-old George.
‘Weeknights sound like a hoot; think Harry Potter evenings and lashings of hot chocolate,’ Talk Education said in its review of the school.
Fridays are the most popular night for one-off boards, leaving parents free to host dinner parties and nurse hangovers, the Telegraph reported.
Lambrook, a Christian school, prides itself on its high academic standards, with a pass rate of 100 per cent for the Common Entrance exam – taken by private school pupils as part of the selective admissions process at age 13. With 620 pupils, it is a larger than average pre-prep and prep school but billed as not as pushy as its London counterparts, with some of its intake being bussed in from west London and Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Surrey.
Year 8 leavers join prestigious schools such as William’s alma mater Eton, Wellington College, Marlborough College, where Kate went, and Charterhouse among others.
Headmaster Jonathan Perry is known for his charm, and performed a rock-and-roll dance and jumped on chairs to cheer up pupils during lockdown. His wife Jenny works with the pastoral team, with the pair praised for their focus on emotional wellbeing, perfectly in line with William and Kate’s campaigning on mental health.
Mr Perry says on the school website: ‘We give our pupils the ‘feathers to fly’ so that when they move on to the next stage of their educational journey, they will spread their wings and will take flight; leaving as confident, happy, engaging, mature, considerate and thoughtful young adults who are outward-looking global citizens.’
Lambrook’s on-site orchard is home to pigs, chickens and rabbits, available to cuddle during tutor time wellbeing walks, bees with hives, and visiting lambs, and George and Charlotte will have an enrichment afternoon every Monday to complement their academic studies.
They will be able to draw from a huge range of activities for this including farming, bee-keeping, chess, mountain biking, ballet, tap, jazz, mini-masterchef, polo, podcast-making, scuba diving, skiing, as well as life-saving, survival, debating and public speaking.
Louis, who will be in reception, will enjoy ‘Forest Fridays’ and be ‘taken on a journey of discovery in the beautiful outdoors’, the school’s prospectus says, mirroring the Duchess of Cambridge’s philosophy of the importance of outdoor play and spending time in nature.
Talk Education said there is a ‘sense of delicious freedom’ while the Good Schools Guide said one mother was ‘mystified by how they get pupils back for lessons, but like clockwork they tumble in, ruddy-cheeked and full of fresh air’.
And parents enjoy the benefit of not having to deal with muddy PE kits. Games clothes are handed in at the start of term and remain there to be laundered by staff, before being sent home at the end of term. Every item must be named but only sewn-on tags are permitted.
Uniforms consist of blue and green tartan kilts for girls and and navy corduroy trousers for boys, plus check shirts, navy pullovers and blue and green ties.
William and Kate can also immerse themselves in the school’s busy social life amid reports of plentiful Lambrook get-togethers and helpful WhatsApp groups. Lamborghinis, Ferraris and Range Rovers apparently fill the car park.
But one Mumsnet user wrote: ‘I have been rather put off by the size of Lambrook, and the reputation of ‘Lambrook’ parents. We are not super wealthy, nor are we city people or country landholders!’
Overseas school trips include jaunts to France, Italy, Iceland and South Africa. But Year 7 students preparing to embark on a canoeing trip in Sweden must each first fundraise £500 to help an underprivileged child do the same through the Teenage Wilderness Trust. Sustainability – no doubt a hit with eco-conscious William – is also key with the children planting 400 saplings to create a new woodland.
A spokesman for the royal couple said today: ‘The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have today announced that Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis will attend Lambrook School in Berkshire from September 2022.
‘Their Royal Highnesses are hugely grateful to Thomas’s Battersea where George and Charlotte have had a happy start to their education since 2017 and 2019 respectively and are pleased to have found a school for all three of their children which shares a similar ethos and values to Thomas’s.’
HIPPIE HOGWARTS
UWC Atlantic College, Glamorgan, Wales
Notable royal alumni: King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, Princess Raiyah of Jordan, Princess Elisabeth of Belgium. Princess Alexia of The Netherlands and Princess Leonor of Spain are both current students.
Royal classmates: Princess Alexia of The Netherlands, left, and Princess Leonor of Spain, right, are both current students at UWC Atlantic College, in Wales
Princess Alexia of The Netherlands is leaving her home country and heading to Wales to study at UWC Atlantic College, pictured, the Dutch royal family has announce
Royal alumni: Princess Elisabeth of Belgium (left), who enrolled in 2018 but had to cut her time at the college short due to Covid-19; King Willem-Alexander of The Netherlands (centre) who attended from 1983 to 1985 and Princess Raiyah of Jordan (right)
Old and new: Lessons take place in modern academic blocks built in the 1960s–80s, converted Medieval estate buildings, and the castle itself (pictured, the school’s library)
With school fees for a two-year course costing £67,000, the school has a range of extra-curricular activities on offer, with its website describes it as ‘providing a platform for young individuals to learn through shared experience’ (left, the dining hall, and right, the pool)
The College has a strong tradition of boat design and boat building with members of the ‘seafront service’ required to keep the boathouse clean and tidy
Princess Alexia of The Netherlands and Princess Leonor of Spain have swapped their European palaces for a school housed in a former Welsh castle.
Heir to the Spanish throne Leonor, 16, and Alexia, 17, the second eldest child of the King and Queen of the Netherlands, have both enrolled on a £67,000, two-year course to study for their International Baccalaureate diploma at UWC Atlantic College.
In good company! Royal graduates of UWC Atlantic College
King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands: King Willem-Alexander, the King of the Netherlands, studied at the College from 1983 to 1985 and graduated with an International Baccalaureate.
Princess Raiyah of Jordan: The daughter of King Hussein of Jordan and Queen Noor also attended her institution as a teen before studying Japanese as an undergraduate at The University of Edinburgh.
Princess Elisabeth of Belgium: Heir to the throne Princess Elisabeth of Belgium enrolled in 2018 but had to cut her time at the college short due to Covid-19. She did her last year of school remote and graduated in 2020.
CURRENT STUDENTS
Princess Alexia of The Netherlands and Princess Leonor of Spain have swapped their European palaces for a school housed in a former Welsh castle.
Heir to the Spanish throne Leonor, 16, and Alexia, 17, the second eldest child of the King and Queen of the Netherlands, have both enrolled on a £67,000, two-year course to study for their International Baccalaureate diploma at UWC Atlantic College.
The school offers activities and subjects like Tai Chi and Tibetan literature, leading it to be nicknamed ‘Hippie Hogwarts’.
UWC Atlantic College has a proven track record educating royalty. King Willem-Alexander studied there in the Eighties and Belgian heir to the throne Elisabeth graduated in 2020.
Education at the school is played out in a magical place – a 12th century Castle by the sea – with its own seafront, woodland, farmland and valley.
Atlantic College is located near the town of Llantwit Major on the South Wales coast, overlooking the Bristol Channel. It has been continuously inhabited since it was first built.
St Donat’s Castle is the main building of the College, housing the Tudor Great Hall, the Gothic Dining Hall, the Bradenstoke Hall used for assemblies and performances and an extensive 25,000-book Library.
Students at the school stay in eight purpose-built boarding houses, which accommodate approximately 48 students each.
The modern accommodation houses are named after either ancient Welsh kingdoms or benefactors to the college: Pentti Kouri, Morgannwg, Powys, Whitaker, Gwynedd, Tice and Sunley.
Unlike a conventional full school day of teaching, lessons at UWC begin at 8am and are finished in time for lunch.
The two-year Diploma Programme has two parts: the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IBDP) curriculum, and a programme of experiential learning that focuses on key aspects of ‘peace, a sustainable future, and student initiative’.
Core basics at the school include Biology, Chemistry, Economics, English Literature, Geography, History, Mathematics and Physics.
Meanwhile there are also a wide selection of optional courses to choose from, including Design Tech, Visual Arts, Film studies, Music and Global Politics among others.
The College’s literary options range from English and French Literature to Czech, Russian, Tibetan, Swedish and Urdu Literature as well.
Classes take place in modern academic blocks built in the 1960s–80s as well as converted Medieval estate buildings, and the castle itself.
THE £110,000-A-YEAR ‘SCHOOL OF KINGS’
Institut Le Rosey in Rolle, Switzerland
Royal alumni: The former Shah of Iran; Prince Rainier of Monaco; Prince Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg; Prince Dasho Ugyen Jigme Wangchuck of Bhutan; Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece and King Farouk of Egypt
The School of Kings: Alumni include the late Prince Rainier of Monaco, pictured right with his son Prince Albert of Monaco and daughter Princess Caroline of Hanover
Royal pedigree: Prince Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg (left with his wife and son) attended Institut Le Rosey. Right, Princess Marie-Chantal (centre with Kathy Hilton and Nicky Rothschild) was a student before marrying into the Greek royal family
More IS more: Established in 1880 on the site of the 14th-century Château du Rosey near the town of Rolle, the school is so rich it even has two campuses. Pictured, the summer campus
Winter retreat: From January to March, the students and staff move to their Gstaad campus, pictured — for the skiing
State-of-the-art facilities: As is to be expected with such hefty school fees, there is a staggering number of activities on offer. The school boasts football and rugby pitches, riding stables, a sailing centre, as well as three orchestras and two choirs
No expense spared: A look inside one of the plush classrooms at Institut Le Rosey
Believed to be the world’s most expensive school, £110,000-a-year Institut Le Rosey in Rolle, Switzerland, is known as the School of Kings.
Alumni include the former Shah of Iran, Prince Rainier of Monaco and King Farouk of Egypt, plus a clutch of Rothschilds and hedge funder Arpad Busson.
Celebrities who have sent their children there include Elizabeth Taylor, John Lennon and Winston Churchill.
Musicians Julian Casablancas and Albert Hammond, Jr also met at Le Rosey and later went to on form rock band The Strokes.
Established in 1880 on the site of the 14th-century Château du Rosey near the town of Rolle, the school is so rich it even has two campuses.
From January to March, the students and staff move to their Gstaad campus — for the skiing.
Pupils board full-time and follow a structured timetable as they work towards either an International Baccalaureate diploma or the French Baccalaureate.
All pupils wake at 7am and are in class from 8am-3.30pm before an evening of activities. Dinners are formal events, with boys wearing blazers and ties for their evening meals.
During the winter months, the schedule is arranged to allow students to practise winter sports without losing teaching time.
Pupils are taught in both French and English and can opt to study up to four languages. There are 20 taught at the school.
As is to be expected with such hefty school fees, there is a staggering number of activities on offer. The school boasts football and rugby pitches, riding stables, a sailing centre, as well as three orchestras and two choirs.
Students are encouraged to take weekend trips across Europe to expand their horizons.
COPENHAGEN SCHOOL THAT PRIDES ITSELF ON EDUCATING THE ‘WHOLE’ PERSON
Ordrup Gymnasium, in Gentofte
Notable royal alumni: Prince Christian of Denmark will attend the school
The Danish royal family recently moved Prince Christian (pictured) from a prestigious elite boarding school to a more modest establishment on the outskirts of Copenhagen
The 16-year-old (pictured with his family in April 2022) was pulled out of Herlufsholm Boarding School in June after allegations of sexual and physical abuse surfaced in a documentary. His sister Isabella, 15, was also due to attend, but her parents pulled her out too
The Danish royal household announced earlier this month that Christian is set to go to the innovative Ordrup Gymnasium (pictured), in Gentofte
Christian’s new school (pictured) was founded in 1873 by HC Frederiksen (called Friser), who wanted to move away from the traditional teaching methods of his time
The Danish royal family recently moved Prince Christian from a prestigious elite boarding school to a more modest establishment on the outskirts of Copenhagen.
The 16-year-old was pulled out of Herlufsholm Boarding School in June after allegations of sexual and physical abuse surfaced in a documentary. His sister Isabella, 15, was also due to attend, but her parents pulled her out too.
The Danish royal household announced earlier this month that Christian is set to go to the innovative Ordrup Gymnasium, in Gentofte.
‘After the Crown Prince’s family’s deliberations during the summer, a decision has been made about the coming school year,’ a statement revealed.
Christian’s new school was founded in 1873 by HC Frederiksen (called Friser), who wanted to move away from the traditional teaching methods of his time.
The school, which offers several clubs, including elite sports clubs, was the first one to introduce co-ed teaching in Denmark and is considered an innovative institution.
The core values at Ordrup are to encourage ‘curiosity’ among its students, as well as ‘cooperation and respect’.
It also promotes the idea of ‘personal school,’ where the programme is tailored to each student in order to help them thrive.
The school also operates at a high academic standard, even though its national ranking is not known. However, it was plagued with threats of closure in the 1980s, due to the fact there were too many high schools in the same region.
However, the school, which boasts it educates ‘whole’ people, survived and is now a flourishing institution.
FIFTH BEST SCHOOL IN DENMARK
Ingrid Jespersens Gymnasieskole
Notable royal alumni: Princess Isabella of Denmark will attend the school
Princess Isabella of Denmark (pictured in April) will attend Ingrid Jespersens Gymnasieskole in Copenhagen after her parents also pulled her out of Herlufsholm Boarding School ahead of her attending at the end of the year
It is understood that both Christian and Isabella (pictured in September 3will remain at home with their parents while they attend their new schools
Known for its academic excellence, Ingrid Jespersen’s (pictured) private high school is located right in the heart of Copenhagen
The school (pictured), where pupils enjoy an active student life, with several committees available to join, was ranked the fifth best in the country for the 2022 school year
Princess Isabella of Denmark will attend Ingrid Jespersens Gymnasieskole in Copenhagen after her parents also pulled her out of Herlufsholm Boarding School ahead of her attending at the end of the year.
Herlufsholm Boarding School became the subject of a documentary that saw two former students describe their dealings with sexual assault and another of corporal punishment.
Known for its academic excellence, Ingrid Jespersen’s private high school is located right in the heart of Copenhagen.
The school, where pupils enjoy an active student life, with several committees available to join, was ranked the fifth best in the country for the 2022 school year.
Each year, a third of the school put on a musical at a professional standard, with students applying to be actors, singers, dancers or even costume designers.
Access to culture is at the heart of what the school offers and it organises several arts and theatre outings throughout the academic year.
And pupils at Ingrid Jespersen are particularly fond of the school’s Motivation Day, where it hosts several workshops, including fishing trip, board games, electronic music, and the school’s radio, Ingrid-Radio.
It is understood that both Christian and Isabella will remain at home with their parents while they attend their new schools.
A TRULY BRITISH EDUCATION
Eton College, Windsor, England
Notable royal alumni: Prince William, Prince Harry
Eton College, in Windsor, Berkshire, was established in 1440 by King Henry VI and has educated 20 of the UK’s prime ministers
Prince William signed the College’s Entrance Book in 1995 alongside his brother Harry, mother Diana and father, Prince Charles
Describing itself as a ‘vibrant and progressive school which is committed to independent thought and the pursuit of excellence’ Eton College has produced some of the UK’s most established figures, including 20 prime ministers.
Prince William and Prince Harry also attended the boarding school in Windsor where they took their GCSEs and A Levels.
The prestigious boys’ school, which caters for about 1,300 students, was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI.
To apply for the school is a two-step process which involves an in-person test before the applicant is interviewed.
After a pupil has been accepted into the £40,000-a-year school, parents or guardians also have to pay an acceptance fee.
In addition to a first-class education pupils at Eton College have access to an enormous athletics stadium and four floodlit pitches for sport.
The daily uniform is a black tailcoat, white tie, waistcoat, and striped trousers, with a top hat added for special occasions.
As well as educating notable royals, some of the UK’s most talented actors are also alumni of the college, including Eddie Redmayne and Tom Hiddleston.
BOARDING SCHOOL ‘VILLAGE’ IN ACRES OF WILDERNESS
Lakefield College School, Ontario, Canada
Notable royal alumni: Prince Andrew, King Felipe of Spain
Stint in Canada: The Ontario school, which charges eye-watering fees of up to £47,000-a-year for international boarders, welcomed Prince Andrew as a foreign exchange student for a term in 1978. Pictured, Andrew at the school (left)
Prestigious: Lakefield College School bills itself as ‘the best day and boarding’ establishment in Canada
Study abroad: Reigning King Felipe of Spain completed his secondary education at Lakefield, before returning home to study at the Autonomous University of Madrid
Picturesque setting: Lakefield is set in 315 acres of grounds, boasting a lake, fields and forests
The great outdoors: Lakefield students have access to a wide range of outdoor activities, including windsurfing
Lakefield College School bills itself as ‘the best day and boarding’ establishment in Canada, and is steeped in Royal history.
The Ontario school, which charges eye-watering fees of up to £47,000-a-year for international boarders, welcomed Prince Andrew as a foreign exchange student for a term in 1978.
Andrew, who completed his education at Gordonstoun, maintained a relationship with the school as the honorary chair and trustee of the Lakefield College School Foundation until 2019. He is no longer associated with the school.
Reigning King Felipe of Spain completed his secondary education at Lakefield, before returning home to study at the Autonomous University of Madrid.
A typical weekday at Lakefield, also known as The Grove, consists of academics, athletics, cocurricular and community activities.
Grade 9 through 12 students and staff start the morning off at Chapel, where announcements are shared and particular calendar dates are celebrated.
Following this, students embark on four periods of class – and additionally have the opportunity to individually meet with teachers, advisors and tutors for additional help.
After fourth period, arts rehearsals, cocurricular programs and athletics activities take the place before dinner.
The independent school also offers programmes such as Leadership, Character, Values programme which provides students with a set of tools for applying in all aspects of their lives.
‘COLDITZ WITH KILTS’
Gordonstoun, Moray, Scotland
Notable royal alumni: The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Charles, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward, Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall
Family tradition: Nestled in the Scottish countryside, Gordonstoun has educated three generations of the British Royal Family, including the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Charles, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, all pictured with the Queen in 1979
Outdoor pursuits: Fees cost up to £15,550-a-year for sixth form students but cover ‘virtually everything’, including expeditions and sail training and most weekend activities
Miserable: Prince Charles arrives with his former pupil father Prince Philip at Gordonstoun School in Scotland for his first term in 1962, and is shown around by Captain Iain Tennant, chairman of the board of governors. Charles hated his time at Gordonstoun
Seen on screen: Charles’ terrible experience at the school was central to The Crown (pictured)
Next generation: Princess Anne’s children Peter and Zara also attended Gordonstoun
Nestled in the Scottish countryside, Gordonstoun has educated three generations of the British Royal Family – including Prince Philip, who joined at the age of 13 after leaving his native Germany. He was only the tenth pupil at Gordonstoun.
The school’s founder, Dr Hahn, who fled Nazi Germany, became a mentor to the young Prince Philip as he navigated a life without the close involvement of his parents.
As shown on Netflix’s The Crown, Gordonstoun became the making of Prince Philip and was the birthplace of the Duke of Edinburgh Award.
However his son Prince Charles famously hated his time at the school, describing it as Colditz with kilts.
The heir to the throne was punched as he slept in Gordonstoun’s penal-style dormitories, was bullied mercilessly because of his ears and saw other new boys attacked with pliers until the flesh on their arms tore open.
His younger brothers Andrew and Edward also boarded at Gordonstoun, as did Princess Anne’s children Peter and Zara.
Fees cost up to £15,550-a-year for sixth form students but cover ‘virtually everything’, including expeditions and sail training and most weekend activities.
These extracurricular activities are the cornerstone of Gordonstoun’s ethos, which vows to prepare students for more than just exams.
EXCLUSIVE SCHOOL IN THE SWISS ALPS
Collège Alpin International Beau Soleil, Villars-sur-Ollon, Switzerland
Royal alumni: Princess Marie of Denmark; Prince Felix and Princess Claire of Luxembourg
Family ties: Prince Christian could follow in the footsteps of his aunt, Princess Marie of Denmark, and enroll at the picturesque Collège Alpin International Beau Soleil in Villars-sur-Ollon, Switzerland. Pictured, Marie (left) with husband Joachim of Denmark and Christian’s parents Crown Princess Mary and Crown Prince Frederick
School sweethearts: Past pupils include Prince Felix and Princess Claire of Luxembourg, who met as students at the £99,000-a-year school. Pictured, the couple at their 2013 wedding
Storybook school: Founded in 1910 the College Alpin, which has views of Mont Blanc, is one of the oldest private boarding schools in Switzerland and welcomes students from more than 40 countries
Stunning setting: The school’s outdoor pool has a terrace with views of the Swiss Alps
Prince Christian could follow in the footsteps of his aunt, Princess Marie of Denmark, and enroll at the picturesque Collège Alpin International Beau Soleil in Villars-sur-Ollon, Switzerland.
Founded in 1910 the College Alpin, which has views of Mont Blanc, is one of the oldest private boarding schools in Switzerland and welcomes students from more than 40 countries.
However with fewer than 300 pupils in total, parents can rest easy knowing their child will receive deeply personal care.
Past pupils include Prince Felix and Princess Claire of Luxembourg, who met as students at the £99,000-a-year school.
The school’s ethos focuses on fostering a broad world view among students, who undertake expeditions to locations as far afield as Cambodia, Ghana and Tanzania.
Ski slopes and the ice-skating rink are only a minute’s walk away from the school, with a full winter sports programme available.
Danish boarding school embroiled in sex abuse scandal
Herlufsholm Boarding School, Næstved, Denmark
Former pupil: Prince Christian of Denmark
Princess Mary and Prince Frederik have removed their eldest son Christian from a prestigious Danish high school after serious allegations of sexual assault and bullying were levelled against the establishment
The Danish royal family have also confirmed their second eldest child, Isabella, will not be attending the Herlufsholm Boarding School towards the end of the year as they had originally planned
Princess Mary and Prince Frederik removed their eldest son Christian from a prestigious Danish high school after serious allegations of sexual assault and bullying were levelled against the establishment.
The Danish royal family also confirmed their second eldest child, Isabella, will not be attending the Herlufsholm Boarding School towards the end of the year as they had originally planned.
‘The question about our son Christian’s and our daughter Isabella’s choice of school has been very important for us, and the unfortunate matter has brought many and strong opinions into play in the public,’ Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary said in a joint statement.
‘That is completely understandable when it deals with the well-being of children and young people. At the same time, it has been important to stand by our basic idea that major decisions must be made on an informed basis. We now have that basis.’
Herlufsholm Boarding School became the subject of a documentary that saw two former students describe their dealings with sexual assault and another of corporal punishment.
Four students were expelled by the school for taking part in the alleged abuse and filming parts of it.
Prince Christian, who is 16 and first joined the school in August last year, is not connected to the allegations in any way.
The statement continued: ‘It has been a difficult process for us as a family, but, based on the overall picture and our special position as Crown Prince Couple, we have chosen that Prince Christian will stop at Herlufsholm and that Princess Isabella will not start in ninth class at the school after the summer holiday.
‘During the summer, we, together with our children, will make a decision about their future choice of schools.
‘With thoughts about the many students who will continue at Herlufsholm, it is our hope that the school now gets more peace to ensure the necessary changes and succeeds in creating a culture in which all thrive and feel safe.’
The school’s principal Mikkel Kjellberg, who was fired shortly after the documentary came to light, said the allegations contained within the television program were ‘very old cases have been used from another time – where the culture at Herlufsholm was different’.
‘Bullying, violence or sexual abuse is not acceptable at Herlufsholm School,’ Kjellberg said at the time.
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