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Norfolk Beaches
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As the summer holidays draw to a close the Cambridge household will be ticking off a back to school to-do list familiar to most other families in the UK.There has been little news from the family over the holiday period but we do know they travelled to the Isles of Scilly for the second year in a row. The Cambridges also ventured to the Queen's Scottish residence, Balmoral Castle to join Her Majesty who is facing her first summer alone without the Duke of Edinburgh.
Balmoral was purchased by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1852 and it is here that Victoria also spent much time in her widowhood following the early death of Albert.
Little known is the fact that the Queen Mother bequeathed her Balmoral home Tam-Na-Ghar to Prince William upon her death. Although the family will most likely stay in "the big house" with Her Majesty, Catherine & William have used Tam-Na-Ghar on and off over the years.
William and Catherine have been teaching George, Charlotte & Louis how to sail off the Norfolk coast near their home, Anmer Hall. Both the Duke and Duchess are accomplished sailors and no doubt wanted to share their enthusiasm with the youngsters. A healthy outdoor activity for energetic children!
Almost certainly Catherine's parents will have hosted the family at their home in Bucklebury, Berkshire. William has always loved spending time with his in-laws who have a very low key, normal family life. The Duchess's sister Pippa and her two children Arthur & Grace along with James Middleton would have been enjoying the chance to catch up after COVID lockdown separations.
Prince George celebrated his 8th birthday in July and it is at this age that boarding school becomes an option. William himself left for Ludgrove Prep School in Berkshire and has many fond memories. However, George and Charlotte attend Thomas's Battersea which caters for children up to 13 and at this stage there have been no announcements that George will be moving on to a boarding school.
There have been numerous rumours of Catherine & William looking at schools for the children in the Berkshire area. Also suggested is that the family will be moving from Kensington Palace to a home in Windsor. Reasoning is that:
- Anmer is a little too far from London for regular weekends in the country,
- Catherine's family live close to Windsor
- London is still close enough for engagements
- William sees it as important to be close to his grandmother The Queen who is basing herself at Windsor Castle since the start of the pandemic and more recently the death of her husband
- if prep boarding schools or even Eton at a later stage were chosen, then the children would be in easy reach of their parents for sports events, performances and the like.
Parenting is full of decisions and compromises and being royal is no different it seems! One thing we do know is that as the Queen ages and slows down it will fall on the remaining full time royals to shoulder extra duties and patronages.
Let's hope this week we are treated to new photos of George and Charlotte starting a new school year and Louis' second term at Willcock's Nursery School.
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Balmoral Castle
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| Tam-Na-Ghar |
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Bucklebury Manor, Home Of Middletons
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Thomas's Battersea
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