Prince George&#x27;s education - Eton, Cambridge, Sandhurst..

Monarchs can't be political and I think it would be seen as highly corrupt if he went into the civil service. Ancillary royals can do diplomacy without public outrage but not those in the direct line of succession.

As we see with Charles you can influence politics under the table anyway if you must, anything with the Palace letterhead or discussed at a garden party is going to be made a priority, and from the Charles scandal future royals know as well as we do that the government and judiciary will suppress the information rather than releasing it in the public interest.

(edited 9 years ago)

Ha a TAB.

OP

My point was about Eton college king scholars going up to King's College Cambridge and how although people push for equality and meritocracy and see the monarchy as a relic of past age yet it has its benefits, I was making a point about prince George is predestined for an extraordinary life so with that I wouldn't complain to him having an extraordinary early life and education.

The king has to (give the idea at least) lead the armed forces and so keeps up with the grand strategic ideas of the day, uphold ceremony to the government such as opening of parliament, and Charles and William talk about the environment a lot so geography would be good there.

It might seem archaic for him to follow such a route but considering his future, I'm making a point that although not entirely correct to some, I would rather have a king with a first class education leading the united kingdom into the future.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 4

lozasaurus99

14

Original post by Protagoras

I wasn't sure where to put this thread but I guessed that those that read the UK politics forum might give some good answers plus I couldn't think of anywhere else than here or in chat!

So living in the UK you can't escape that we have a monarchy. People say that the monarchy and the aristocracy have privileges in life that others don't get but most of them work towards something mostly government.

I know that Princes William and Harry went to Eton College (school of rich, powerful and connected).

William went on to St. Andrews in Scotland to first study history of art where he met Kate Middleton then switched to geography. Then onto Sandhurst and into the armed forces.

Harry skipped university and went next to Sandhurst, the Royal Military Academy.

So.. as the future king of the united kingdom I was thinking about the obvious early career that prince George is going to have.

It is highly likely he will go to Eton College.

*Point* Eton is known for its king scholars who then went on to King's College, University of Cambridge.

*Point* Would it really be that bad if George did that exact process and went onto King's Cambridge to study History or possibly Geography and Politics / International Relations.

The monarchy are supposed to set a high standard for society and this to me sets him up for the life that he will have: diplomacy, IR, government.

So should George have the extraordinary education for someone predestined for a certain role in the world?

Why do people associate studying Politics and ir at university as being snobby etc etc when it's a good normal subject!

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I think he'll go to Westminster or somewhere not as fancy as Eton.

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Reply 6

mojojojo101

17

Original post by Protagoras

My point was about Eton college king scholars going up to King's College Cambridge and how although people push for equality and meritocracy and see the monarchy as a relic of past age yet it has its benefits, I was making a point about prince George is predestined for an extraordinary life so with that I wouldn't complain to him having an extraordinary early life and education.

The king has to (give the idea at least) lead the armed forces and so keeps up with the grand strategic ideas of the day, uphold ceremony to the government such as opening of parliament, and Charles and William talk about the environment a lot so geography would be good there.

It might seem archaic for him to follow such a route but considering his future, I'm making a point that although not entirely correct to some, I would rather have a king with a first class education leading the united kingdom into the future.

Or you could have a leader who had the same or higher level of education who hasn't cost the tax payer hundreds of millions of pounds of investment...

Reply 7

subjunctivehistorian

Original post by Protagoras

I wasn't sure where to put this thread but I guessed that those that read the UK politics forum might give some good answers plus I couldn't think of anywhere else than here or in chat!

So living in the UK you can't escape that we have a monarchy. People say that the monarchy and the aristocracy have privileges in life that others don't get but most of them work towards something mostly government.

I know that Princes William and Harry went to Eton College (school of rich, powerful and connected).

William went on to St. Andrews in Scotland to first study history of art where he met Kate Middleton then switched to geography. Then onto Sandhurst and into the armed forces.

Harry skipped university and went next to Sandhurst, the Royal Military Academy.

So.. as the future king of the united kingdom I was thinking about the obvious early career that prince George is going to have.

It is highly likely he will go to Eton College.

*Point* Eton is known for its king scholars who then went on to King's College, University of Cambridge.

*Point* Would it really be that bad if George did that exact process and went onto King's Cambridge to study History or possibly Geography and Politics / International Relations.

The monarchy are supposed to set a high standard for society and this to me sets him up for the life that he will have: diplomacy, IR, government.

So should George have the extraordinary education for someone predestined for a certain role in the world?

If he applies to Cambridge through UCAS and gets in on his own merit i.e. A*AA then yes.
If he just gets in because he's Prince George, then no. Just like it was unfair and immoral when Prince Charles went to Cambridge. People from working class backgrounds fight to get in, they stress so much over it... for someone to get in simply because of who he is... no.

Reply 8

Why can't he go to a state school? :colonhash:

The current King of the Netherlands attended state school, as do his children. The future King of Norway went to a state school, as do his children. The future King of Denmark attends state school. The future Queen of Sweden has just started going to a public nursery. If they can all manage in the slums of public education, so can George.

Reply 9

nulli tertius

Original post by Protagoras

So.. as the future king of the united kingdom I was thinking about the obvious early career that prince George is going to have.

It is highly likely he will go to Eton College.

*Point* Eton is known for its king scholars who then went on to King's College, University of Cambridge.

*Point* Would it really be that bad if George did that exact process and went onto King's Cambridge to study History or possibly Geography and Politics / International Relations.

The monarchy are supposed to set a high standard for society and this to me sets him up for the life that he will have: diplomacy, IR, government.

So should George have the extraordinary education for someone predestined for a certain role in the world?

You have to remember that Price Charles was the first member of the immediate royal family to go to school at all.

The royal family didn't like Eton because Eton was seen as the reason Edward VII went off the rails. When he was young and educated at Windsor he was allowed by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert to mix with some Etonians; he fell in with a "fast" set and all the wine, women and song followed.

Very noticeably Prince Charles was sent to his father's school (his father had gone to school because although minor royalty he came from a relatively poor broken home and home schooling by tutors wasn't an option) at Gordonstoun about as far from the fleshpots of London as it was possible to get. In that sense it worked; hence the naivety of Charles' notorious Stornoway cherry brandy.

Prince Charles however hated Gordonstoun but liked the term he spent at Geelong in Australia, a school modelled on Eton. Frankly his children would have ended up at Slough Comp rather than having any possibility of going to Gordonstoun. Princess Anne however sent both her children to Gordonstoun and by all accounts they loved it.

The reconnection with Eton was through Princess Diana whose family including her father and brother had gone to Eton for generations.

Prince William enjoyed his time at Eton and Princess Catherine enjoyed hers at Marlborough. Either would be a viable choice for Prince George. What happens may well depend on security, both anti-terrorist and from paparazzi. Eton is a security nightmare because it is in the middle of a tourist attraction. and does not have ring-fenced grounds.

A state school is certainly an option. The difficulty, as many politicians have found, is that it requires more strings to be pulled to get someone into a good one in a highly competitive area and that string pulling might be seen as unacceptable. It would be easier in Norfolk than in Kensington or Berkshire. I wouldn't be surprised if Prince George goes to a state primary in Norfolk.

A spell in the military for Prince George is essential. Prince Andrew missed a trick there. He wants his girls to be "royal" and there seems a role for them because there are more duties than people to perform them when the Queen, Prince Philip, Duke of Kent, Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and Princess Alexandra stop carrying out public duties, with only a wife for Prince Harry in the pipeline. Neither Princess Anne nor Prince Edward wanted their children to undertake public duties. However, Prince Andrew never got the girls into uniform.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 10

Clip

19

You don't go to Eton or Harrow for an education. You go so that in 30 years time, when your idiot son gets himself arrested in Oman you can pick up the phone and call the Omani Minister of the Interior who just happened to be in the 2nd XV with you all those years ago.

Reply 11

iEatMuFFiNS

14

Original post by Samual

Why can't he go to a state school? :colonhash:

The current King of the Netherlands attended state school, as do his children. The future King of Norway went to a state school, as do his children. The future King of Denmark attends state school. The future Queen of Sweden has just started going to a public nursery. If they can all manage in the slums of public education, so can George.

And just why would anyone slum it when the don't have to?

Reply 12

Huskaris

Original post by Samual

Why can't he go to a state school? :colonhash:

The current King of the Netherlands attended state school, as do his children. The future King of Norway went to a state school, as do his children. The future King of Denmark attends state school. The future Queen of Sweden has just started going to a public nursery. If they can all manage in the slums of public education, so can George.

They all have much better state education.

Reply 13

Original post by iEatMuFFiNS

And just why would anyone slum it when the don't have to?

If they don't, there won't be a monarchy for much longer. Do you seriously think the British royals won't have to change after the Queen dies?

Original post by Huskaris

They all have much better state education.

Rubbish. There are many excellent state schools in the UK. I think the United World College in Wales would be a good option for George, for sixth form at least.

Reply 14

iEatMuFFiNS

14

Original post by Samual

If they don't, there won't be a monarchy for much longer. Do you seriously think the British royals won't have to change after the Queen dies?

Ok, i'll bite: why exactly will they have to change? and why might there not be a monarchy for much longer?

Reply 15

Original post by iEatMuFFiNS

Ok, i'll bite: why exactly will they have to change? and why might there not be a monarchy for much longer?

Because society changes, if they don't change with it, they risk public opinion turning against them - if that happens, they're toast. In 20 years, if the royals are still privately educated, over-privileged, under-worked party animals then their days will be numbered.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 16

Folion

15

I think "safe" is a key word in this debate.

Firstly there is the question of security so George is going to have to attend schools where he can easily be protected. I think that will rule out the majority of State Comps from the fiscal perspective although maybe not all State schools entirely. I still think it unlikely that he will entirely go down that route although stints at State pre-school and the like are a distinct possibility.

William and Kate seem to be quite conservative and "safe" in their choices. This is evident from Kate's choice of wedding dress style through to their choices of name for George.

George...obvious royal connection with recent Kings and other close family usage
Alexander...Alexandra is one of the Queen's middle names
Louis....Louis/Louise has be a royal family favourite not least because of the Mountbatten connection.

William and Kate are going to be the generation of "safe" conservative choices not least because of Charles and the Diana/Camilla debacle and his tendency to be a bit eccentric and sometimes a loose cannon. Therefore whilst George may not follow the path outlined by the OP I very much doubt that he will stray too radically from it. I would say, though, that I think he will have to earn his uni place on merit or if he doesn't prove particularly academic follow a route similar to Harry.

Reply 17

Nathanielle

15

Original post by subjunctivehistorian

Just like it was unfair and immoral when Prince Charles went to Cambridge...

At that time far less students considered university and grade requirements were different, so it is debatable, wether Charles would have got in anyway.

Original post by Samual

Why can't he go to a state school? :colonhash:

The current King of the Netherlands attended state school, as do his children. The future King of Norway went to a state school, as do his children. The future King of Denmark attends state school. The future Queen of Sweden has just started going to a public nursery. If they can all manage in the slums of public education, so can George.

The UK is known world-wide for their private schools (or public schools, as you say) and it would be strange for him not to go, as this is what you usually are expected to do as British with money. I do not like that either (although as soon as you go to a state school in a richt area, it is not that different from public school, concerning the parents' income, only the parents' motivation differs), but why would the royal family differ from any other rich British family?

Reply 18

Original post by Nathanielle

The UK is known world-wide for their private schools (or public schools, as you say) and it would be strange for him not to go, as this is what you usually are expected to do as British with money. I do not like that either (although as soon as you go to a state school in a richt area, it is not that different from public school, concerning the parents' income, only the parents' motivation differs), but why would the royal family differ from any other rich British family?

Because society moves forward and public expectations change. The British royals might be slow to change compared to other European royal families, but they do know they must change in order to stay relevant - it's what they've always done.

Reply 19

subjunctivehistorian