It is, by any measure, quite the first day of term. Princess Lilibet, 5, and her brother Prince Archie, 7, have begun attending a prestigious British preparatory school this week — marking one of the most tangible signs yet that the Sussex family's return to the UK is very much permanent, or at least long-term.
Page Six has revealed that the school carries an annual fee of more than $35,000 (roughly £27,500), and boasts an impressive range of facilities including an indoor swimming pool, a fitness centre, expansive grass playing fields, AstroTurf sports pitches, art studios, multiple science labs, a large theatre, and a music and performing arts centre. Pupils are also treated to a gourmet dining hall serving breakfast, lunch and supper. Not bad for a school run.
A Closely Guarded Secret
The name of the school is being kept private — by both the press and the palace, so to speak — on security grounds. Ahead of the children's first day, parents at one preparatory school in Oxfordshire received a letter proactively addressing swirling rumours that Archie and Lilibet might be enrolling there.
The letter, verified and obtained by HELLO!, informed parents that "despite the gossip" that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex might have been considering the school for their children, "no application" had appeared on the headmaster's desk as of 1st September — though the admissions team was said to be remaining "ever vigilant." One can only imagine the staffroom conversations.
Archie is entering Year 3, while Lilibet begins Year 1 — their first experience of the British school system after years of Californian sunshine and, presumably, a rather different educational rhythm.
Culture Shock and Country Schools
Grace Moody-Stuart, a spokesperson for the Good Schools Guide, told HELLO! that she believes the Sussex siblings will attend the same school — a sensible move, she suggests, given the magnitude of the upheaval.
"It is a big culture shock, however much their father's British. I think it's a massive culture shock moving from a different country. What's wonderful about a country school is that they're not especially selective, academically — it's not all about who's the best in the class."
She added that if Harry and Meghan have opted for a co-educational prep school outside London, it will be "a much more freestyle, much less pressured environment than perhaps Harry experienced" — a pointed nod to the Duke's rather more rigorous educational path through Ludgrove and Eton.
Prince Harry himself has been vocal about his admiration for British schooling. Singer Joss Stone, recalling a conversation with him at the WellChild Awards last year, told HELLO!:
"He was saying how wonderful the schools are here and how important community is for children. It was nice to share that — it's exactly why we felt drawn to come back, for the kids to grow up surrounded by family, friends, and a strong sense of belonging."
A Family Settling Back In
The children's school start comes just days after Harry and Meghan quietly vacated their $14 million Montecito mansion and flew into Birmingham Airport last Wednesday, reportedly chartering a private jet at a six-figure cost for the transatlantic move. Sources suggest the couple have been assisted financially with the relocation by British hedge fund billionaire Ian Wace, the CEO of Marshall Wace LLP, though it is not believed he is funding their entire stay.
The family's return is widely understood to have been motivated in part by King Charles III's ongoing battle with cancer, diagnosed in 2024, and a desire for Archie and Lilibet to build meaningful relationships with their royal relatives. The couple are reportedly eyeing a home in the Cotswolds — not far from Charles and Queen Camilla's Highgrove House residence.
Meghan Markle previously voiced concern about raising children in the UK spotlight. In a 2022 interview with The Cut, she remarked that school runs in Britain would inevitably become a photo call, adding: "That doesn't make me obsessed with privacy. That makes me a strong and good parent protecting my child."
This time around, the family appear to have found a school — and a plan — that allows them to try to do just that. Whether the British press will afford them that space, of course, remains to be seen. Meanwhile, their cousin Prince George, 13, begins his own new chapter this month at Eton College, the alma mater of both his father Prince William and his uncle Harry. Quite the school term for the House of Windsor.
