Why Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis Use a Different Surname at School
Despite holding senior royal titles since birth, the three children of the Prince and Princess of Wales adopt an unpretentious naming convention within the classroom. As the new academic year commences, 13-year-old Prince George has commenced his studies at the prestigious Eton College, while Princess Charlotte, 11, and Prince Louis, eight, continue their schooling at Lambrook Prep School in Berkshire. To foster an ordinary educational experience, the young royals are addressed simply as George Wales, Charlotte Wales, and Louis Wales by their classmates and instructors.
Adopting “Wales” as a temporary surname reflects an established royal custom where children take their parents’ primary territorial title in school registers. Prior to September 2022, when Prince William and Catherine held the titles of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the children were registered under the surname Cambridge. Following the accession of King Charles III and the subsequent elevation of their parents as the Prince and Princess of Wales, the siblings’ school identities were formally updated to reflect their family’s elevated standing.
This educational tradition mirrors the upbringing of Prince William and Prince Harry during their own formative schooling years across Berkshire and Eton. Because their father served as the Prince of Wales at the time, both royal brothers were enrolled as William Wales and Harry Wales to minimize institutional barriers with their peers. While official Privy Council declarations establish Windsor as the formal royal house name, substituting titles for surnames allows royal youngsters to sidestep burdensome protocol and experience a normalized school life.
Educational consultants have widely endorsed Prince George’s transition to Eton College, citing its world-class academic rigour, rich chapel traditions, and unparalleled global peer network. Melanie Sanderson, managing editor of the Good Schools Guide, noted that Eton’s single-sex boarding structure provides a structured setting for the future monarch to mature while shielding his social development. Navigating boarding school simply as George Wales enables the second in line to the throne to forge genuine friendships, preparing him steadily for his eventual duties as Head of the Commonwealth and the Church of England.