The Cambridges should say no to wishy-washy liberal sentiment and send George to Eton
It might not seem like a great PR move, but my clever friend will tell you why it makes sense
It’s the talking point of the week: should Prince George go to Eton? We’re not talking tomorrow. He’s only eight. But rumour has it the Cambridges are soon to move their son to a Berkshire prep school, and from there, according to one royal reporter, “he is very like to follow in his father’s and uncle’s footsteps at 13”. (Hopefully more his father’s than his uncle’s, being brutally honest. As a friend who was in Prince Harry’s year at Eton remarked, “You’ve got to try really hard to go to one of the best schools in the country and leave with a D in geography.”)
It’s all part of Prince William and Kate’s relocation plan. As their centre of gravity shifts towards London from Norfolk, and they take on an increasing number of royal duties, they’re said to be eyeing up houses in Berkshire, near both Kate’s parents and Windsor Castle. The castle may even be where they end up. Last September, another royal expert confidently declared that the family had decided to move to Windsor Castle to be nearer the Queen, and the official announcement would be made “either next week or around Christmastime”. No such announcement was made, but therein lies the joy of being a royal commentator; you can say any old nonsense (“Queen eats swan for breakfast!”) and get away with it.
Still, the Eton thing. Is this a winning PR idea, considering the recent turbulence the Royal family has been through and the challenges it faces in proving that it’s a modernising force for good? As the daughter and sister of Old Etonians, and who’s also dated the odd one, I’ve noted cautiously before that they have their plus points: an unimpeachable sense of confidence, decent shoes. But I’m not sure that sending George to a single-sex school where they wear tailcoats, speak in a funny language (teachers are “beaks”, matrons are “dames”, prefects are in “Pop”) and that is so closely allied with privilege, money and dubious politicians is a sensible move. Imagine the headlines.
Enter my friend Will, who works in education and is a much cleverer and more considered person than me.
“So long as he’s bright enough to do well, I think he probably should go to Eton,” Will says. “It’s head and shoulders above most other schools, will introduce him to an unexpectedly broad range of boys and start him on relationships with plenty of intelligent interests that will give him a hinterland.” See? Told you Will was clever (even though he went to Harrow).
Eton is “oddly” the most progressive of all the all-boys’ boarding schools, Will adds, with a thrusting headmaster (nicknamed “Trendy Hendy”) who’s trying to modernise the place by flying a Pride flag from the college roof and expanding the scholarship programme. He also points out that various other options, such as Marlborough, Wellington or Charterhouse, are hardly less associated with privilege, and that Eton has educated a few leading Lefties – Orwell, Keynes, Gladstone – so George wouldn’t automatically leave with the views or morals of our current Cabinet. “I think the gender point is a bit of a red herring,” Will tells me, rather damningly. “He’ll be educated with girls up to the age of 13. Also, single-sex schools exist in the state sector, too, and boys and girls were educated separately for centuries. Who says we know better? It’d be great to see William and Kate not give in to every soft liberal stereotype.”
What does an eight-year-old’s putative choice of school matter, plenty will cry. Others will rant that he should go to state school. But George isn’t just any eight-year-old, poor mite, and like it or not, his education is more significant than most people’s. The good news is we’ve got five years to discuss it.