Prince William started boarding at Ludgrove School in 1990, beginning a chapter that stood apart from the public strain surrounding his family. The future King was educated in Berkshire before Prince Harry joined him two years later, during a period when the separation of then-Prince Charles and Princess Diana was dominating headlines. According to Hello!, Ludgrove offered a far more grounded setting than the grand image often linked to royal life. Before both brothers later moved on to Eton at 13, they spent formative years in a school environment built around routine, privacy and close supervision.
Also interesting:
Concern in the palace
Prince Haakon Worried About Mette-Marit: She Is 'Seriously Ill'
Cream first or jam first?
Meghan Markle Reveals She Makes Scones Just Like the Late Queen
Prince William Shared a Dorm With Other Boys
Photos from 1989 offer a glimpse of the school William entered the following year. The boarding rooms were simple, with cream walls, red carpets and green curtains, far from the grandeur people may expect from a royal upbringing. Single wooden beds were lined up evenly, with matching bedside tables and chairs beside them. Students added personal touches through family photos and posters. William’s own room was never photographed publicly, but reports stated that he shared his space with five other pupils, making his daily life much like that of other boys at the school.
Prince Harry Found Comfort After Diana’s Death
The school later became a place of quiet support for Prince Harry after the death of Princess Diana in 1997. In his memoir, he described the unusual silence that met him when he returned. "And yet I don’t believe one boy so much as mentioned my mother when that new term began. Out of respect? More likely fear. I certainly said nothing to anyone," said Prince Harry. His account suggests staff and pupils understood the scale of his loss, even if few words were spoken directly.
Ludgrove Offered Games Rooms and Shared Meals
Life at Ludgrove was structured but warm. Outside the dormitories, boys could spend free time in a games room with table tennis and a piano. Meals were served in the refectory, where walls displayed portraits of notable former pupils, while another dining space looked out across the grounds. The school sat on 200 acres with woodland and tennis courts, giving students room to play and unwind. It was a modest setting compared with Eton’s later luxuries, yet it appears to have given William and Harry a stable base during difficult years at home.
Prince Harry Praised the School’s Matrons
Harry also wrote with affection about the women who cared for pupils day to day. "The matrons hugged us, kissed us, bandaged our injuries, wiped our tears," Prince Harry wrote through his memoir extract. He described them as "Mums-Away-From-Mums", a phrase that underlined their importance in boarding school life. Their support became especially meaningful as he dealt with family upheaval and grief. One of the hardest moments came when pupils were asked to write letters, a task he found first difficult during his parents’ split and later impossible after losing his mother.
