Prince William and Kate Middleton’s children may have some of the most recognizable names in Britain, but inside the classroom, their names are a little less royal.
Keep reading to learn more.
Prince William and Princess Kate Middleton’s children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, reportedly don’t use their official royal titles at school.
It might sound surprising, but there’s actually a long-standing royal tradition behind the unusual school names. And George has just entered a particularly significant new chapter of his education.
The Wales Children Use Their Parents’ Titles As A Surname
George, Charlotte and Louis were born with royal titles, meaning they don’t normally need a conventional surname.
But when a surname is required, in situations like when you are a student at school such, the children can use Wales, reflecting their parents’ titles.
William and Kate became the Prince and Princess of Wales in September 2022, following the death of Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III’s accession to the throne.
Their children subsequently began using Wales in educational settings.
So instead in school they go by, George Wales, Charlotte Wales, and Louis Wales.
Before that, they were known as George Cambridge, Charlotte Cambridge and Louis Cambridge, reflecting William and Kate’s former titles as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
And there’s an interesting family connection behind the tradition.
William and his brother Prince Harry also used “Wales” while they were at school, because their father Charles was the Prince of Wales at the time.
So while George may be the future king, his school friends don’t necessarily have to address him as “Prince George.”
At school, he’s simply George Wales.
George Has Just Started At The School His Father And Uncle Attended
The name detail comes at an especially interesting moment for the royal family.
In September 2026, 13-year-old George began attending Eton College, the prestigious all-boys boarding school near Windsor.
He’s following in the footsteps of both his father William and his uncle Harry, who also attended Eton. George was accompanied by William and Kate on his first day, marking another major milestone for the future king.
The school was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI and has a particularly strong connection to the British establishment. But George’s experience will inevitably be different from the one his father had.
When William attended Eton, social media wasn’t part of everyday teenage life.George is growing up in a world where almost every moment can potentially be photographed, filmed and posted online.
Royal commentator Kinsey Schofield previously suggested that protecting his privacy could be one of his biggest challenges. William and Harry attended before social media transformed adolescence.
George won’t have that same luxury.
George, Charlotte And Louis Once Had An Even More Ordinary School Life
Before George moved to Eton, all three siblings attended Lambrook School in Berkshire. George and Charlotte previously attended Thomas’s Battersea in London, but the family moved from Kensington Palace to Windsor in 2022.
The move meant the children could grow up closer to their extended family while having more space and, according to royal commentators at the time, an opportunity for a more normal childhood.
George, Charlotte and Louis eventually attended Lambrook together. Now, however, the siblings are beginning to follow separate educational paths. George is at Eton, while Charlotte and Louis remain at Lambrook.
The Royal Family Didn’t Always Have A Surname
The story becomes even more fascinating when you look at the history of royal surnames. For much of British history, members of the Royal Family simply didn’t use a surname at all.
Instead, they were identified by their first names, titles or the royal house they belonged to. That changed in 1917.
During World War I, anti-German sentiment was growing in Britain, and King George V decided to change the royal family’s house name from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to Windsor, after Windsor Castle. Windsor also became the family’s surname in certain circumstances.
Then came another change.
Why The Royal Family Has The Name Mountbatten-Windsor
In 1960, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip established Mountbatten-Windsor as the surname for their direct descendants who needed one.
“Mountbatten” came from Prince Philip, who adopted the surname Philip Mountbatten after becoming a naturalized British subject. However, members of the Royal Family with the style and dignity of Prince or Princess generally don’t need to use a surname in everyday life.
So George, Charlotte and Louis don’t need to be introduced as “George Mountbatten-Windsor” or “Charlotte Mountbatten-Windsor.”
At school, Wales is the name that connects them directly to their parents. And their father and uncle did exactly the same thing when they were growing up.
George Won’t Automatically Become Prince Of Wales When William Becomes King
George’s future title is another detail that many people get wrong.
When William eventually becomes king, George will become the heir apparent to the throne.
But he won’t automatically become the Prince of Wales. The Prince of Wales title must be specifically granted by the reigning monarch.
George would, however, automatically inherit the Duchy of Cornwall and traditionally associated Scottish titles connected to the heir to the throne.
So even though “Prince of Wales” is strongly associated with the future king, it isn’t an automatic inheritance.
Charlotte And Louis Have Their Own Royal Futures
Charlotte’s future is also unusual.
She could potentially become Princess Royal, the traditional title given to the monarch’s eldest daughter. But that title is currently held by Princess Anne, and it is held for life.
So even after Anne’s death, the title would still need to be formally granted by the reigning monarch. As for Louis, there isn’t a specific title automatically reserved for him.
The monarch could eventually grant him a dukedom, as has traditionally happened with some younger sons of monarchs.
So The Next Time You Hear “George Wales,” There’s A Reason
To the rest of the world, he’s Prince George. At Eton, however, he’s reportedly just George Wales.
And his siblings have their own versions of the same name: Charlotte Wales and Louis Wales.
It’s a small detail, but it reveals something interesting about growing up royal.
Even children who may one day stand at the center of the British monarchy still need to hand in schoolwork, make friends and navigate classrooms. And for now, at least, they can do it without their full royal titles attached to every introduction.
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