One of the big cultural differences between America and Britain is that in Britain, the “upper class” tends to prefer an indifferent education for their children. The children of aristocrats and royalty are supposed to do their time in various prep schools and boarding schools and then get packed off to one of the more well-connected universities where they’ll major in socializing and sneering. At no point are they supposed to be academically challenged. Which makes the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s schooling choices for their children kind of interesting. While the Cambridge kids’ schools don’t seem like pipelines for gifted students, they also don’t seem like the kind of posh, well-bred, indifferent breeding grounds for princes and princesses. The kids’ new school, Lambrook, sounds like it’s mostly a posh-mimicking school for the nouveau-riche. And as such, the other parents at Lambrook are kind of mad that their kids’ school is going to become some kind of royal fortress.
The school where Prince William’s children will start in 11 days is facing an angry backlash from parents over beefed-up security. George, nine, Charlotte, seven, and four-year-old Louis enrolled at Lambrook School near Ascot, Berks, after William and Kate’s move to nearby Adelaide Cottage in Windsor. But parents of other pupils fear measures to keep the royals safe will disrupt the relaxed vibe.
One mum told the Sunday Mirror: “A lot of parents are p***ed off. They’re worried the feel and atmosphere of the school will change with all the security. Many of us worry things like the carol service will now become more formal and won’t be the sweet, laid-back affair they usually are.”
George and Charlotte were previously at Thomas’s Battersea, in South West London, where it is understood they had discreet protection from armed royal officers. In June 2018, a man pleaded guilty to plotting terror attacks that included targeting the primary. And a woman caused a major security scare in 2017 after revealing she was able to stroll in after the gate and a main entrance door were left open.
The concerned mum added: “Parents are picturing armed police in trees and in the corridors – they don’t want their kids witnessing it. There are no electric gates, but that may change with the royal kids coming. It’ll no longer be so easy to come and go. It’s certainly not the same school and vibe we signed the kids up for, and most parents I’ve spoken to feel the same.”
[From The Daily Mirror]
I doubt there will be armed protection officers roaming the halls, just like I doubt there will be protection officers hiding in trees. But I bet there will be security upgrades for the school and… so be it. It’s not like the royal protection officers are going to say “oh, the other parents are mad, okay, we’ll stand down!” It will be slightly less disruptive for the students because the kids aren’t going to board as well, so there won’t need to be massive security upgrades to the dorms. Anyway… this whole move continues to be fascinating to me, especially since the Cambridges (or Kate and the kids) are only moving into Adelaide Cottage right now. They waited until the last minute to move the kids to Windsor, and the kids start school next week. What a huge amount of change for those kids.
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