The royals are nothing if not dramatic, and apparently that extends to Prince George's education. You'd think it would be simple (he has his choice of schools!) but the decision has been described as "heartbreaking," causing "years" of "tension" between Kate Middleton and Prince William, who have been "plagued by indecision" and "arguing." Here's a full breakdown.
George Has Been Allocated a "House" at Eton
This was confirmed by the Daily Mail, who note that Eton has 25 houses including Manor House—where Prince William and Prince Harry were placed. But apparently the most prestigious house is King's Scholars, so that could be where Prince George is destined to reside.
Eton's Out Here Acting It's a Sure Thing
Another source told the Daily Mail that the school has been "smug" about the possibility. As an insider put it, "It was like, 'I know something and the people at Eton know something, but I'm not going to tell you'. That was after William and Kate visited Eton."
Kate and William Have Been Fighting About This for "Years"
Apparently, William wants George to attend Eton, while Kate wants him to go to her more laid back alma matter, Marlborough College.
Broadcaster Helena Chard told Fox that "The discussions have been circulating for years, with the Prince and Princess of Wales reportedly arguing and debating the decision for years. I’m surprised the bookies haven’t initiated a bet on which school Prince George will attend next autumn!"
"There has been a long line of unhappy schooling within the family," Chard added. "King Charles was very unhappy at Gordonstoun. Eton wasn't suitable for Prince Harry. Even Princess Catherine was bullied at a secondary school. Therefore, she is committed to securing the perfect fit for Prince George. And let’s face it, the world is their oyster — they have the pick of all schools."
A source also told OK! that "Kate thinks sending him to such a stuffy, upper-crust institution goes against all of their efforts to modernize the monarchy. Plus, she’ll miss George desperately. She and William argued about it for years, but he has finally won."
Kate Is "Heartbroken" Over the Decision
Meanwhile, royal expert Katie Nicholl (via the Post) says that Kate is "heartbroken" about the decision, and her "preference is for George to be at a co-educational school, so he can be with his siblings, which is what Kate experienced at Marlborough with her sister, Pippa, and brother, James. It was a very happy school life for her, but William has very fond memories of Eton, which has a long history with aristocrats and members of the royal family. There’s always the possibility of traditions being changed."
Kate's Worried About Prince George Being Bullied
Royal expert Ian Pelham Turner told Fox that "School days for Kate at times were not the happiest as she experienced bullying, so she leaned more towards a less conventional education for George than William. William, on the other hand, wanted to keep his traditional education by sending George to Eton College, which he enjoyed, and let him keep in close contact with Harry. Kate favors a more relaxed education for George rather than the structured life at Eton which, although it has many opportunities, is steeped in tradition."
Wills and Kate Have Are Still Being "Plagued" by the Decision
The Daily Mail reports that changes at Eton have William and Kate slightly concerned, with a source saying "Eton has been going through much transition lately so that's perhaps why it wasn't an easy decision There has been a lot going on that isn't public knowledge but which Catherine would, of course, have been informed of. She has been wise to wait and observe for a few more months for things to settle down, which it has thanks to Nicholas Coleridge's hand on the tiller and Simon Henderson's return–though that has its own dilemmas because he's not everyone's ideal Eton headmaster."
