When their summer vacation has officially ended with their departure from Balmoral and return to Windsor. The family’s time at Balmoral has been a crucial period of rest and togetherness, and as they resume their roles, they do so with renewed focus and commitment.
The first day of a new school is always terrifying for everyone.
This will be no different for William and Kate’s children, who will have their first full day at the prestigious Lambrook School on Thursday.
But Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis will certainly have a softer landing than most, as their first day will be at somewhere previously dubbed ‘the most magical place for children’.
William and Kate will be forking out more than £53,000 a year for this ‘magical place’, not including uniform or trip costs.
Lambrook, near Ascot in Berkshire, has been described as a ‘classic prep school’ with a ‘heart of gold’ by the Good Schools Guide.
With 52 acres of breath-taking countryside, the school has a reputation for giving its pupils loads of outside time.
Kids in reception enjoy ‘Forest Fridays’ where they are ‘taken on a journey of discovery in the beautiful outdoors’.
Activities offered include farming, beekeeping, mountain climbing and polo.
The school also has an on-site orchard where pigs, chickens, rabbits and lambs are kept. Children are encouraged to take wellbeing walks and visit these animals.
Prioritising being outside will suit William and Kate well, as they have often spoken out about the benefits of using nature for mental health.
School trips take kids to France, Italy, Iceland and South Africa, with older children often expected to fundraise so less privileged people can do the same.
Lambrook offers day and boarding packages (weekly or flexi) with hot-chocolate-filled Harry Potter nights for those staying over.
George, Charlotte and Louis are all day pupils for now as their new home, Adelaide Cottage in Windsor, is just a 10-minute drive from the school.
Of course, the school picked for the country’s future king and his siblings also has a strong academic reputation.
It has a 100% pass rate for the Common Entrance exam – a test taken by private school pupils as part of the selection process for secondary schools.
Leavers often move on to other prestigious institutions, including Eton where William went.
Lambrook has some incredibly impressive grounds – offering a Diamond Jubilee performing arts studio, dance studio and sports hall, swimming pool and most recently a £6 million Queen’s Building for IT and academic learning.
The main building is a large white 19th-century country mansion.
George, Charlotte and Louis have had to change schools because their parents swapped Kensington Palace for a large cottage on the grounds of the Queen’s Windsor estate.
The whole family attended a 90-minute introductory session for new pupils and their families yesterday.
Headmaster Jonathan Perry told the kids: ‘Welcome to Lambrook. It’s lovely to have you with us. We’re very excited for the year ahead.’
Shaking them each by the hand in turn he asked, ‘Are you excited?’ with all three chorusing, ‘Yes!’
William replied: ‘We’re looking forward to it,’ adding the children had ‘lots of questions’.
George, Charlotte and Louis are not the first royals to go to Lambrook, which was founded in 1860.
Queen Victoria’s grandsons, Prince Christian Victor and Prince Albert of Schleswig-Holstein, attended during her reign.
