Schooling the Royal Family: How Have the British Royals Been Educated?

Prince George started at Westacre Montessori School in Norfolk in January 2016 at the age of two and a half and has spent the past 18 months learning through experience in the traditional Montessori environment. The method involves teachers guiding rather than talking at the pupils and helping them learn by example.

As he starts at Thomas's Battersea, the little prince will be heading into a world where pupils are discouraged from having best friends as it could leave other children feeling ostracized, and there is a counselor on staff, while "human ecology" is used to track pupils' responses. The Battersea area of London seemed a left-field choice for William and Kate, especially since there is a Thomas's in Kensington where they live, however, the key to their choice may well lie with the age range.

The Kensington school takes children up to the age of 11, whereas Battersea's top age is 13 — which may indicate that instead of George going away to boarding school at the age of 8, as William and Harry did, he will stay at Thomas's until he's old enough for the likes of Eton.

William was the first future monarch to attend nursery beyond palace walls and was a pupil at Mrs. Mynor's near his home of Kensington Palace from the age of 3.

He then attended nearby Wetherby School from the ages of 4-8. The school is known for the scarlet-trimmed gray uniform that is only available from luxury department store Harrods.

From the age of 8, William was a boarder at Ludgrove School in the middle of the Berkshire countryside. There, boys were encouraged to build dens and camps in the woodland and grow their own flowers and vegetables in the shared gardens. William attended Eton College from the age of 13. The school had always had a royal connection as it was set up in 1440 by Henry VI, but it hadn't been attended by royalty for many years. However, William (and later Harry) followed in Diana's father's and brother's footsteps by enrolling there. William was in a prestigious prefect society called Pop and left with three A levels: an A in geography, B in history of art, and C in biology.

William started out at St. Andrew's University studying history of art (like his future wife, Kate Middleton), but at the end of his first term, he switched to geography and left with a 2:2 degree. (Kate did better with a 2:1.)

Harry followed his big brother, William, to Mrs. Mynor's, and at the end of his first day, he peered at the waiting paparazzi though a pair of "binoculars" made from toilet tissue rolls.

He then followed William to Wetherby, Ludgrove, and Eton, where he developed a reputation as class clown, and it's been rumored he was diagnosed with dyslexia. Less academic than his big brother, Harry left school with two A levels — a B in art and D in geography — after dropping art history the previous year.

Harry is the only one among his cousins so far who hasn't gone to university. He had never been academic and followed in the footsteps of his uncle and godfather Prince Andrew by going straight into the military.

Princess Beatrice attended Upton House School nursery from the age of 3, followed by Coworth Park School in Berkshire and St. George's School in Windsor. She was diagnosed with dyslexia as a teenager and delayed taking her GCSEs for a year but was later head girl in her final year. Beatrice studied history and the history of ideas at Goldsmiths University in London, graduating with a 2:1.

Eugenie followed her big sister to Upton House School, Coworth Park, and St. George's, before moving on to Marlborough College, where Kate Middleton had been a pupil. It's been said of Marlborough that it "Spits out girls who are Able All Areas: the City, music, business, fashion, politics. They're bright, they do sport, drama, art. They're also very glossy." Eugenie fit the bill and left with an A in art, an A in English literature, and a B in history of art.

Eugenie then went on to study art history, politics, and English literature at Newcastle University, graduating with a 2:1.

The queen's eldest grandson attended Port Regis prep school and then followed in the footsteps of his grandfather Prince Philip and uncles Prince Charles, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward by attending Gordonstoun school in Scotland, where he became head boy. Peter then studied at Exeter University, leaving with a degree in sports science.

Zara followed in her brother's footsteps, attending Port Regis and Gordonstoun. She then became the first female royal to attend university, studying at Exeter University like her big brother, where she left with a degree in equine physiotherapy.

The prince received private tuition in the Buckingham Palace nursery before attending Hill House in West London — a mixed-gender school that specializes in educating children to be in a world community. At the age of 8, Charles took after his father, Prince Philip, by going to Cheam in Berkshire, a mixed school with a fishing lake, shooting range, and sensory garden.

At 13, the prince went to Gordounston in Scotland, as his father had, but hated the experience and has said he felt lonely and isolated. Charles then headed to Trinity College, Cambridge, studying archaeology and anthropology, but as his son was to do many years later, he changed his mind during his course and graduated with a 2.2 in history.

The queen was schooled at home in Buckingham Palace by tutors, alongside her sister, Margaret. Their governess was Marion Crawford, and private tutors included the provost (senior academic) of Eton, Henry Marten. Because the then-Princess Elizabeth wasn't socializing outside palace walls, a Girl Guide company, The 1st Buckingham Palace Company, was created so she could mix with girls her own age.