The Princess of Wales is “heartbroken” over Prince William's decision to send Prince George to the single-sex Eton College when he was 13, a royal insider has claimed.
In December, speculation mounted that the Welsh might reject Eton College in favor of Malborough College in Wiltshire, which Kate Middleton attended.
The Princess of Wales toured the £47,000-a-year co-educational school for the second time last month – this time accompanied by her husband and ten-year-old George.
Kate is said to not be a fan of single-sex schools like Eton and reportedly “hated” her time at Downe House, an all-girls boarding school in Berkshire, where she was allegedly attacked by bullies.
However, a royal insider claimed the decision had now been made to send George to Eton College, the school his father and uncle attended, when he was 13.
The Princess of Wales is “heartbroken” over Prince William's decision to send Prince George to the single-sex Eton College when he was 13, a royal insider has claimed
The source told In Touch Weekly that Kate is “heartbroken” at the idea of sending George to boarding school – as she “was horribly bullied at her first boarding school and can't bear the thought of George suffering because of it.”
It has long been a tradition for royal children to attend boarding schools, although William and Harry were the first to attend Eton College, rather than Gordonstoun in Scotland.
Still, the insider said Kate and William had been arguing about the idea of sending their children to boarding school “for years.”
William had “finally won,” they claimed.
In December, speculation mounted that the Welsh might reject Eton College in favor of Malborough College in Wiltshire, which Kate Middleton attended
It has long been a tradition for royal children to attend boarding schools, although William and Harry were the first to attend Eton College, rather than Gordonstoun in Scotland
Still, the insider said Kate and William had been arguing about the idea of sending their children to boarding school “for years.” Pictured: Princess Diana, King Charles and Princes William and Harry at Eton College in 1995
“Kate has long disagreed with her husband about sending him away, even though it is tradition,” the source said.
“Kate believes that sending him to such a stuffy, upper-class institution will go against all her efforts to modernize the monarchy. “She will also miss George sorely.”
William began attending Oxbridge Feeder School in 1995 and went to boarding school during the week. At the weekend he visited his late grandmother at nearby Windsor Castle.
“Kate believes that sending him to such a stuffy, upper-class institution will go against all her efforts to modernize the monarchy. “She will also miss George very much,” the source said
The insider claimed Kate had “finally given in” on the matter of George attending Eton College after admitting her eldest son wanted to follow in his father's footsteps
Kate Middleton pictured with her classmates at St. Andrew's Prep School
The insider claimed Kate had “finally given in” on the matter of George attending Eton College after admitting her eldest son wanted to follow in his father's footsteps.
Students normally enroll at Eton University at the age of 13 and it is understood Kate will skip a planned visit to Singapore next year to be with George when he takes the entrance exam.
This consists of a 150-minute test on verbal and mental reasoning.
George currently attends Lambrook co-educational preparatory school with his eight-year-old sister Princess Charlotte and five-year-old brother Prince Louis.