Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis Begin a New School Year as the Wales Family Prepares for a Big Move. On September 3, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis returned to Lambrook School to begin a new academic year. This will be the last time all three of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s children attend the same school, as Prince George is expected to begin studying at Eton College next year when he turns 13.
The summer months were spent largely out of the public eye, with the family believed to have spent most of their time at their countryside home, Anmer Hall, in Norfolk. While George and Charlotte were seen at the Wimbledon finals in July alongside their parents, Prince Louis, who is still considered a bit too young for such events, made public appearances during the Trooping the Colour celebration and a church service in Scotland in late August, where he once again drew attention for his playful behavior.
As Prince William and Princess Kate return to their royal duties this fall, the family is also preparing for a significant change. They will be leaving Adelaide Cottage, their four-bedroom home on the Windsor estate where they moved in 2022, and settling into Forest Lodge — a larger, eight-bedroom house nearby.
The move comes during a challenging time for the family, particularly as Kate Middleton continues to receive treatment following her cancer diagnosis. A royal source told the BBC in August that Forest Lodge represents “a fresh start and a new chapter,” and offers a chance to move forward from some of the more difficult memories associated with the past couple of years.
Importantly, Forest Lodge is viewed as the family’s “forever home,” where William and Kate plan to raise their children and eventually live even when they become king and queen. Much like their current home, they’ve decided not to have live-in staff in order to maintain a sense of privacy and normalcy, and they are reportedly paying for the home’s renovations themselves.
According to royal expert and former BBC correspondent Jennie Bond, Prince William is deeply committed to giving his children a childhood that is far more stable and private than his own. “William is focused on creating a stable and private family life—the kind he never had when he was growing up,” Bond explained. She added that William refers to his approach as “royalty with a small ‘r,’” aiming to raise George, Charlotte, and Louis without rigid labels based on their birth order or royal status.
This mindset has been partly shaped by lessons learned from Prince Harry’s departure from royal life and his feelings of being treated as “the spare.” William and Kate want their children to grow up grounded and united, not separated by hierarchy.
