George & Charlotte Back to School

The Easter weekend marks the end of the month long Easter break for Prince George and Princess Charlotte of Cambridge.

Much of the holiday has been spent at the Cambridges' home in Norfolk, Anmer Hall. The property on the Queen's Sandringham Estate is the family's "bolthole" where they have total privacy and spent much of the children's early years before formally moving to London in 2017.

The property has a tennis court, vegetable gardens and beautiful country to play in, just as the Duchess of Cambridge did, growing up in the Berkshire countryside. The family have a cocker spaniel, Lupo and at one stage a guinea pig named Marvin. 

Both George and Charlotte are learning to ride ponies and Charlotte has tennis lessons when in London. 

During the break the Duke and Duchess and the older children attended Burnham Horse Trials to watch William's cousin Zara Tindall ( also George's godmother) compete. 

So now it is back to London where George attends Thomas's Battersea and Charlotte goes to Willcocks Nursery School close to Royal Albert Hall in Kensington. Charlotte will celebrate her 4th birthday in early May and will start "big school" after the long Summer break.

But for now the focus is on little Prince Louis who turns 1 on 23rd April. Happy Birthday to Louis. 

Half Term For George And Charlotte

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have cleared their diaries for this week for a very special reason. Prince George, 5 and Princess Charlotte, 3 are enjoying half term break from Thomas's Battersea and Willcocks Nursery School respectively.

This time in 2016, when Charlotte was 10 months old the Cambridge family headed for a snowy holiday in the French Alps. Photos were released upon their return and they were able to enjoy the break in relative privacy.

Whether they head to the ski slopes for Prince Louis' first winter holiday or stay at their country home Anmer Hall in Sandringham remains to be seen. 

Meanwhile, Catherine took young Louis for a stroll in Kensington Palace Gardens on Valentine's Day. By all accounts the Duchess was friendly to passers-by and was dressed in skinny jeans and coat.

And for Baby Sussex news...

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are still hoping to move into Frogmore Cottage in Windsor in March. The new home is being renovated at a cost of 3 million pounds but there is still much work to be done including roofing. 

Harry and Meghan's baby is due in the spring but dates are not known. Perhaps early April? The couple are hoping to be in their new home in time for the baby's arrival so depending on building works they may still be in Nottingham Cottage in the grounds of Kensington Palace.

It has also emerged that the Cambridge and Sussex courts will also split soon. Until now Prince William and Prince Harry shared staff but this is to change. 

When the Queen passes away and Prince Charles becomes King, William will be invested as Prince of Wales and also assume the title Duke of Cornwall. The Duchy is a huge business and alongside William's new roles in the royal firm, it will mean his responsibilities will be very different to that of Harry.

Back To School For George & Charlotte

As with millions of other families, the Cambridges will be busy this week organising their children for a return to school after the summer break.

Prince George, 5, will be starting year one at Thomas's Battersea on Thursday. Although he attended Reception last year and will keep the same friends, George will have a new teacher and classroom as well as more advanced work to adjust to.

Princess Charlotte, 3, started at Willcocks Nursery School in Kensington in January. She will return to her routine on Wednesday.

The royal youngsters have had a wonderful summer break with baby brother Louis and mum and dad Catherine and William.

The family of five first celebrated Louis's baptism on 9th July and the following day the children watched the RAF Centenary flypast from a Buckingham Palace window while the adults stood on the balcony.

Mustique in the Caribbean was the venue for a beach holiday with their grandparents Carole and Michael Middleton. It was here George celebrated his birthday.

Then the family spent a large amount of time at their country residence, Amner Hall on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. Amner allows the children to run and play in privacy as well as enjoy the property's tennis court.

Towards the end of the holiday the Duke and Duchess and children headed to Balmoral Castle in Scotland to visit the Queen and Prince Philip. Here George took part in his first grouse shoot which is quite a milestone for a royal youngster. 

All in all a lovely holiday before school begins again.

Happy Birthday Prince George

Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge was born on July 22nd, 2013 at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington. George is the first child and eldest son of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and upon his birth became third in line to the British throne after grandfather Prince Charles and dad Prince William.

George was several days overdue prompting media and well-wishers to dub the lead up as the "Great Kate Wait". On the hottest day of the summer, George arrived and he left hospital the following day with his dad William and mum Catherine. 

George's early weeks were spent at Catherine's parents' home Bucklebury Manor in Berkshire. Grandparents Carole and Michael Middleton offered their daughter seclusion and much needed hands on support. The Cambridge home at this time was Nottingham Cottage (now home to Prince Harry), Kensington Palace. It is quite small and the family's new home,  Apartment 1A was still being renovated.

The couple was determined to eschew a nanny and intent on being hands on parents. After a few months it became clear that help would be needed if the Duke and Duchess were to undertake their royal duties and also William's role as RAF Search and Rescue pilot in Wales. William and Harry's childhood nanny Jessie Webb was enlisted to help the couple on a part time basis. 

By February the following year, a full-time nanny Maria-Teresa Turrion Borrallo was hired and has been with the family ever since. Maria has been a huge support as the family has grown and the Cambridge's royal roles have evolved

At the age of 2 1/2 George commenced nursery school in Norfolk, near the family home Anmer Hall. Anmer became their main base from the time Charlotte was born until last July when the family returned to London.

George started formal school at Thomas's Battersea in September and has now completed his reception year. The prince has loved all forms of transport since he was little and in particular helicopters which he sees quite often coming and going from royal homes. 

George has joined his parents on royal tours to Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Poland and Germany.

 Happy Birthday Prince George! 

 

Baby Countdown

Prince George and Princess Charlotte of Cambridge have been out of the public eye since September when George started school at Thomas's Battersea.

The little prince was accompanied on his first day by dad Prince William but mum Catherine was suffering from extreme morning sickness and had to stay home in bed. 

William and George's arrival at Thomas's was captured by the press and Kensington Palace issued a photo of the two princes standing on the front steps of their home. 

Likewise, Charlotte commenced preschool
at Willcocks Nursery School not far from home in Kensington in early January. Press photographers were not in attendance but again the Palace released two gorgeous photos of the two year old princess taken by the Duchess of Cambridge. 

We really haven't seen much of the children since the Cambridge tour of Germany and Poland last July. But the coming months will present more opportunities to see the little ones. 

In April, the third Cambridge baby is due and it is expected that Catherine will again give birth in the Lindo Wing of St Mary's hospital in Paddington.  

As well as a photo opportunity on the steps of the hospital, it is hoped new photos will be issued to mark the arrival of this new prince or princess. Charlotte will turn three on May 2nd.

If that isn't enough excitement for the family and royal watchers, Prince Harry will wed Ms. Meghan Markle at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle on 19th May. George and Charlotte may well play a role as pageboy and flower girl just as they did for Aunty Pippa last May.

And then there will be the baby's christening approximately three months after his or her birth as well as Trooping the Colour at Buckingham Palace in early June. 

A big year coming up for the Cambridge family and Prince Harry!

Charlotte Begins Nursery School

 Princess Charlotte of Cambridge has started at Willcocks Nursery School close to home in Kensington.  

Kensington Palace released two photos of Charlotte to mark the occasion. Charlotte's mum Catherine took the pics.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge escorted their 2 1/2 year old daughter on her first day and helped her settle in to her morning class routine. 

Willcocks has a strong emphasis on numeracy, early reading, poetry, art, crafts and music. The classes are structured but allow plenty of time for free play. 
   
Charlotte's older brother George attended Westacre Montessori School in Norfolk as the family was based at Amner Hall at the time. George started "big school" at Thomas's Battersea last September.

 Kensington Palace has released a 2017 highlights video:

For our final highlights video, let's take a look back at some of the key family moments this year. pic.twitter.com/gwVftwrcso

— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) December 31, 2017

 

George's Nativity Debut

Four year old Prince George of Cambridge started at Thomas's Battersea school in September. 

Dad Prince William has revealed that George played a sheep in the school nativity play earlier this month. All William would say was that it was "funny". 

The Duke can be seen below attending his own first nativity play in 1985 aged 3 1/2. 

This time next year Charlotte will have started nursery school and the Cambridge's will have welcomed a third child into the family. Here's hoping we soon get to see a new photo of the Duke, Duchess and their children in time for Christmas.

Prince William Talks About His Children

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge has been busy these past few
weeks. As well as undertaking his own public engagements, William has filled in for his wife Catherine who is suffering extreme morning sickness- hyperemesis gravidarum.

In the same week the royal couple announced that they were expecting their third child, Prince George started school at Thomas's Battersea. Due to her debilitating condition, the Duchess was forced to miss dropping off her son for his first day at school. 

William took George alone and commented that "it went well". He did say later "We are all seeing how long that lasts before he doesn't want to go".

During a visit to Aintree University Hospital in Liverpool a week later, William mentioned that Princess Charlotte "will be trouble when she is older". He added "George rules the roost and Charlotte isn't far behind". 

Less than three week after starting school life, the Duke announced that the honeymoon period for George had ended as predicted! During a visit to Milton Keynes, William said "I just dropped George off and he didn't want to go."

With George starting school, Charlotte due to start nursery school in the coming months and a new baby on the way life is very busy in the Cambridge household. 

The Duchess is due to return to royal engagements on October 10th at a reception alongside Princes William and Harry at Buckingham Palace.

George And William

The Duke and Duchess are very pleased to share a photograph of The Duke and Prince George at Kensington Palace this morning. pic.twitter.com/MxcU0RqGvi

— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) September 7, 2017

Duchess Misses George's Big Day

Prince George of Cambridge has started school at Thomas's Battersea today. 

The Duchess of Cambridge was too sick with extreme morning sickness to drop George at school, but Prince William escorted his son to meet Head of the Lower School, Helen Haslem.


George will be known simply as George Cambridge and will be in a Reception class of 22 pupils.

As more photos surface, I will update this page.

George's First Day At School

Prince George begins formal schooling today when he joins the Reception class at Thomas's Battersea. 

Four year old George had attended Westacre Montessori preschool in Norfolk near his family's home Anmer Hall since January 2016. 

It is hoped that both parents will drop George off at school on his first day, but due to extreme morning sickness Catherine may not be able to. 

Headmaster Simon O'Malley includes the following passage in his welcome page on the school website:

"Whilst we are proud of our record of senior school entrance and scholarship successes, we place a greater emphasis on a set of core values, which include kindness, courtesy, confidence, humility and learning to be givers, not takers. We hope that our pupils will leave this school with a strong sense of social responsibility, set on a path to become net contributors to society and to flourish as conscientious and caring citizens of the world."

Term fees for the first stage of three years are 5868 pounds. Like the other 560 students, George will be dressed in the school uniform of navy and red which is available at John Lewis. 

We look forward to seeing a few photos of this very important event in anyone's life -royal or not.

George's Big Week

Prince George of Cambridge will start "big school" this week when he starts at Thomas's Battersea.

George will begin in the Reception year with about 60 other children. Thomas's is a school for boys and girls aged between 4 and 13 and one of several London day schools in this family owned chain. 

There is a big focus on music, art, drama and sport but all areas of the curriculum are covered. 

Kindness is considered just as important as academic success at Thomas's and this is a lovely reflection of the attitude of Duke and Duchess. 

Kensington Palace has said that William and Catherine will walk George through the school gates on Thursday. 

William's 1st day Wetherby January 1987

Charlotte Loves To Dance

Princess Charlotte of Cambridge loves dancing her parents revealed on Wednesday. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry were visiting the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace.

The garden has been specially planted with the favourite flowers of the princes' late mother Diana, Princess of Wales. It was 20 years on Thursday since the Princess was killed in a car accident in Paris at the age of 36. Her sons were 15 and 12 at the time.

Representatives of charities close to the heart of the late Princess were present. Director of the English National Ballet, Tamara Rojo was speaking with Catherine about dance when the Duchess revealed that Princess Charlotte is an avid dancer, "She absolutely loves it."

Charlotte who is also an keen horse rider seems to be a very busy and active two year old. Growing up at the family's country home Amner Hall has no doubt been a wonderful thing for Charlotte and big brother George. 

The Cambridges will now be based primarily at their Kensington Palace apartment. Prince George will be starting school this coming Thursday in Battersea, London and William and Catherine are stepping up their royal roles as the Queen and Prince Philip age. Charlotte too is thought to be starting nursery school later this year.

Happy Birthday George

Kensington Palace has released a gorgeous photo of Prince George to mark his 4th birthday today. The portrait was taken at the end of June by Getty's Chris Jackson at the Cambridge apartment at the palace.

The little prince will start formal school in September at Thomas's Battersea. 

A birthday party will be held on Sunday.

Happy Birthday!

George's New School

Kensington Palace has announced plans for Prince George's first "big school".

George, who is currently at Westacre Montessori School in Norfolk, will commence his formal schooling at Thomas's Battersea day school in September. 

Thomas's Battersea is part of a group of Thomas's day schools in London. The school is co-educational and has three, three year stages. There are approximately 540 boys and girls at the school currently. 

The young prince will be four years of age when he starts school.

According to the express.co.uk
"Mr Ben Thomas has been headmaster of Thomas’s Battersea since 1999 but will step down this summer to focus on his wider role as principal of the whole group of schools.
His successor, appointed last May, is Simon O’Malley, currently headmaster of Wellesley House School in Broadstairs, Kent."

The tweet from Kensington Palace:

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have announced that Prince George will attend Thomas's Battersea School in London from September 2017.

— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) March 24, 2017

Thomas's Battersea