Prince George returned to school life last month with a major change: the 13-year-old has started at Eton College. His sister Princess Charlotte, 11, and brother Prince Louis, eight, are continuing at Lambrook Prep School near the family’s Windsor home, Forest Lodge. But inside the classroom, the three children are not addressed by their royal titles. According to Hello Magazine, they go by George Wales, Charlotte Wales and Louis Wales, using the family name tied to their parents’ current titles.
Prince George Begins Boarding Life at Eton
George’s move to Eton marks a familiar path for the family. Prince William also studied there, beginning in 1995, and later became a house captain and prefect before heading to the University of St Andrews. Prince Harry joined the same school three years after his older brother. On 8 September, William and Catherine accompanied George on his first day as he settled into one of the school’s 25 boarding houses. The choice places him in a setting with deep family links while also starting a more independent routine.
Charlotte and Louis Stay at Lambrook Prep School
While George adjusts to boarding school, Charlotte and Louis remain at Lambrook in Berkshire. Charlotte is now in Year 7, while Louis is in Year 4. The school is close to Windsor, allowing the family to keep their base near home as the children move through different stages of education. Their day-to-day names at school reflect a long-standing royal practice. Before William and Catherine became the Prince and Princess of Wales, their children used Cambridge as a surname at earlier schools, matching their parents’ former titles.
Royal Children Follow a Longstanding Surname Tradition
The use of Wales in school settings fits a wider custom inside the monarchy. Royals often do not use a surname at all, especially in formal contexts, and are identified by title and given name. The royal family’s official website states: "At a meeting of the Privy Council on 17 July 1917, George V declared that 'all descendants in the male line of Queen Victoria, who are subjects of these realms, other than female descendants who marry or who have married, shall bear the name of Windsor'." That rule shaped how later generations handled family names.
Mountbatten-Windsor Still Has a Place in the Family
As reported by Hello Magazine, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip later decided that their direct descendants should be distinguished from the wider royal house, leading to the use of Mountbatten-Windsor in some cases. Lady Louise Windsor became the first royal to use it after her birth in 2003, and she is often listed that way in carriage driving competitions. Prince Harry and Meghan’s children were previously Archie and Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor. Since King Charles’s accession, they are entitled to use prince and princess in formal settings, though not in everyday conversation.
