Kate Middleton and Prince William reportedly cannot agree on their plans for their eldest child, Prince George.
And insiders say the situation has left Kate feeling “heartbroken.”
The disagreement has to do with George’s education. And it could have a major impact on the future of Will and Kate’s young family.
Kate Middleton and Prince William Clash Over Prince George’s Education
Multiple sources say that Will and Kate cannot agree on where to send George for the next phase of his schooling.
William wants the boy to attend his alma mater, Eton, while Kate would prefer that George receive a more conventional education.
“Kate’s preference is for George to be at a co-education school, so he can be with his siblings, which is what Kate experienced at Marlborough with her sister, Pippa, and brother, James,” royal expert Katie Nicholl tells The Daily Mail.
“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,” Nicholl adds.
A Royal Precedent
Needless to say, the royals are generally very big on tradition. But in this situation, there’s a precedent that might enable George to take a different path than the one laid out by his father:
William did not follow in the footsteps of his own dad, King Charles, by attending boarding school in Scotland.
“There’s always the possibility of traditions being changed,” Nicholl explained.
“William and Harry didn’t end up following in their father’s footsteps by going to Gordonstoun [in Scotland] and it may be that George breaks the Eton mold and ends up somewhere else.”
We don’t yet know where George falls on this particular issue. But according to one insider, Kate is very much in favor of George matriculating at Marlborough.
“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,” a different source told In Touch last year.
George currently attends the Lambrook preparatory school along with his siblings, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. But as he nears the end of his time there, a major decision looms.
The 11-year-old has reportedly taken the entrance exam for Eton, but has not yet committed to attending.
“Whatever happens, it’ll be a decision made by William and Kate with George’s best interests factored in,” says Nicholl.