William’s has been educated throughout his life at independent schools, his first being Jane Mynors’ nursey school which he went to for one year, first when aged three. During his time there he acted in two plays (which his parents attended), and even sang a musical solo.
At the age of four, he transferred to Wetherby School, a school for boys in Notting Hill in West London. Wetherby is known as a ‘pre-prep’ school (pre-preparatory), the sequence of independent schooling in England being nursery -> pre-prep -> prep school -> public school.
During his time at Wetherby (a white stucco double-fronted Victorian building in the Italianate style so favoured of the Notting Hill area), William was noted to have a flair for English and Spelling. He was also praised for his swimming abilities, and entered the school gala, which was held every March. In his last year at the school (when he was seven), William won the Grunfield Cup, given to the one boy who displayed the best overall swimming style. Again, his singing talents were also on show, as he took part in the Christmas concert each year he was there, and showed his thespian skills in the school play in his final year.
Ludgrove school in Berkshire was his next port of call, which William attended for five years (from September 1990 until July 1995). One of the most notable events during his time there was when he was hit on the side of the head by a golf club in an accident on the school’s putting green. Prince William was rushed by ambulance to Great Ormond Street Hospital in London (possibly the most famous children’s hospital in the world), where he underwent an operation. It turned out that William had suffered a depressed fracture of the forehead – but was not knocked out at the time of the accident!
In his time at Ludgrove, William proved himself to be a strong budding sportsman. He picked up his love of football here (William supports the English Premier League team Aston Villa, known as the ‘Claret and Blues’), as well as demonstrating his continuing abilities in swimming, and trying his hand at basketball and cross-country running. He also took part in the father-and-son Clay Pigeon shooting competition with Prince Charles, and the mother-and-son tennis competition with Princess Diana.
A View of Eton College
In September 1995, William started at the World Famous Eton College (most often known as just ‘Eton’). Eton was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI, and was originally known as ‘The King’s College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor’ – of course, Eton is a stone’s throw from the royal residence of Windsor Castle.
Eton is often referred to as ‘the chief nurse of England’s statesmen’, and is classed by the Good Schools Guide as ‘the number one boys’ public school’. Royalty from across the world have been educated at Eton for generations, as well as well-known figures from England’s current Prime Minister David Cameron to James Bond creator Ian Fleming. The list of famous Alumni has not just one but multiple pages on the well-known website Wikipedia, demonstrating just how good an education Eton gives to its pupils. An education, of course, fit for a king.
Eton Quadrangle
Image courtesy of jtriefen
Despite the school’s history, the royal family had a tradition of placing royal children in Gordonstoun shool (where William’s father, grandfather, two uncles and two cousins attended). However, Diana’s father and brother had both attended Eton, so there was still some tradition followed!
Unusually for the British press (with their worldwide reputation for not always ‘playing by the rules’), an agreement was made that William could study free of intrusion from the paparazzi in exchange for regular updates from the royal family regarding his life and progress. The head of the Press Complaints commission said at the time ‘Prince William is not an institution; nor a soap star; nor a football hero. He is a child: in the next few years, perhaps the most important and sometimes painful part of his life, he will grow up and become a man’.
Eton College Chapel
Image courtesy of Herry Lawford
Once again, at Eton William showed himself to be an excellent sportsman. He captained his house football team, and took up water polo. In addition to this responsibility, he was also joint Captain (at Eton known as ‘keeper’) of Swimming, House Captain of Games, and (in his final year) House Captain.
William was also one of twenty-one prefects, which as Eton is known as being in ‘Pop’. He acted on stage, including taking a part in Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’, which was watched in 1998 by The Queen and her husband The Duke of Edinburgh.
William showed a sensitivity to others from an early age. When he was fourteen, he asked his parents not to attend the most important day of the school’s calendar – the Fourth of June celebrations – as he believed that their presence, and that of their bodyguards (and possibly the invited press) would spoil this ‘parents’ day’ for his peers. William’s parents accepted his request, and his ‘unofficial nanny’, Tiggy Legge-Bourke attended in their place.
William was also appointed secretary of the Agricultural club, and even received Eton’s Sword of Honour, the school’s highest award for a first-year army cadet (children at public schools in England are often introduced to cadetship in the armed forces during their school years). He was also the fastest junior swimmer at Eton in ten years.
Princess Diana was noted as saying ‘My boy’s got a good brain, considering how hopeless both his parents were’. William gained a total of twelve GCSE passes (three even taken a year early), including top marks in English, History and Languages. One wonders how much he had to learn about his own ancestors in his history studies!
William chose to study Geography, English and History of Art at A Level, choices that would define his further education at university, and of course shape his adult life.
Kate Middleton
Kate attended St. Andrew’s school in the picturesque town of Pangbourne in Berkshire, and briefly attended Downe House school. Her public school of choice was Marlborough College in Wiltshire – a co-educational establishment (both boys and girls) as opposed to Eton’s boys only rule.
At school, Kate was described as level-headed, popular and talented. One of her former classmates said she was ‘an absolutely phenomenal girl – really popular, talented, creative and sporty’. Just as Prince Williams’ sporting prowess was demonstrated throughout his education, so was Kate’s, with her captaining the school hockey team, and playing in the first pair at Tennis.
Kate was also academically bright, described by a college master as ‘an A grade pupil across the board’.
Bridge over River Thames in Pangbourne