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The school year is once again underway for Prince William and Kate's three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. However, as the Cambridge family returns to Lambrook School in Berkshire, they are in for a costly surprise. It has been revealed that the annual fees for educating the royal siblings at their prestigious private school will be increasing by a staggering 20% due to new VAT regulations coming into effect.
Previously, Prince William and Kate were paying £17,000 per year to send George, Charlotte and Louis to Lambrook. However, starting in January 2025, those fees will shoot up by a huge £16,000, bringing the total annual cost to a mind-boggling £79,372. This exorbitant increase is not unique to the royal family either - all parents with children enrolled at Lambrook will see fees rise by 20% in the new year.
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The catalyst for this fee hike is new VAT rules that will require private schools to charge the 20% tax on top of existing tuition costs. The government is taking proactive steps to ensure compliance with the incoming tax regulations too, prohibiting families from paying school fees in advance to avoid paying the additional VAT charged starting from July 2024 terms onward.
So how exactly will these surging costs impact each Cambridge child's education? Let's breakdown the termly and annual fees for each sibling:
- Prince Louis (Reception Year): Currently paying £5,434 per term. With VAT, that jumps to £6,521 per term. Annual fees rise from £16,302 to £19,562.
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- Princess Charlotte (Year 5): Currently paying £7,968 per term. With VAT, that increases to £9,562 per term. Annual fees surge from £23,904 to £28,684.
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- Prince George (Year 7): Currently paying £8,650 per term. With VAT, that amounts to £10,380 per term. Annual fees spike from £25,950 to £31,140.
Collectively, educating all three children at Lambrook will cost the Cambridges a staggering £79,372 per year once the new VAT rates kick in - up £16,000 from the current annual fees of £63,256. That's equivalent to the average UK annual household income.
While Lambrook and other private schools warn that fees are subject to change and the newly announced rates only apply from January 2025, parents will no doubt be feeling the financial strain of contemplating how to afford these inflated costs. Even royalty will struggle with the burden of paying nearly £80,000 annually just for their offspring's schooling.
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Adding to the pressures on the Cambridge family is Prince William's active working royal duties. This week, he will attend the Homelessness Reframed exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery in London to shine a light on the critical issue of homelessness. And although Princess Kate took time off earlier this year while battling an unknown illness, she gracefully returned to two major royal events - Trooping the Colour and the Wimbledon Men's Final - showing her commitment to her public role. Juggling their important royal work while facing soaring children's school tuition is an immense challenge.
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While lambasting the government over increased VAT burdens on families may seem untoward, even the usually stoic Waleses must be privately reeling at the prospect of ballooning education bills. Ordinary UK parents now paying 20% more for private schooling will certainly feel their pain. However, sending their offspring to the prestigious co-ed Lambrook clearly remains a financial priority for William and Kate, despite the six-figure overall cost.
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As the colder months approach, the Cambridges now settle into a new normal of increased domestic responsibilities intertwined with duties as working Royals. All the while, the mountain of upcoming school fee payments will loom large over their thoughts. Yet their commitment to providing the best opportunities for beloved children George, Charlotte and Louis perseveres - even if it requires sacrificing over £16,000 more annually from 2025 onward
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