Prince William and Princess Kate's children may have some of the most recognisable royal names in Britain, but their school identities are surprisingly ordinary.
Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis do not typically use their royal titles in the classroom. Instead, when a surname is required, the three young royals are known as George Wales, Charlotte Wales and Louis Wales.
The naming detail has attracted fresh attention as George begins an important new chapter at Eton College, while his younger siblings continue their education at Lambrook School in Berkshire.
Key Takeaways
- Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis use “Wales” as their school surname.
- The name comes from William and Kate’s titles as the Prince and Princess of Wales.
- The children previously used “Cambridge” when their parents held the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge titles.
- George began at Eton College in September 2026, following his father Prince William.
- Charlotte and Louis continue attending Lambrook School in Berkshire.
The unusual school surname has a simple royal explanation. Members of the Royal Family do not always use a conventional family surname, particularly when they already have formal titles.
When a surname is needed, however, royal children can use a name connected with their parents' territorial title. For George, Charlotte and Louis, that name is now Wales.
William became Prince of Wales after his father, King Charles III, became monarch in 2022. Kate subsequently became the Princess of Wales, meaning their three children also became known as Prince George of Wales, Princess Charlotte of Wales and Prince Louis of Wales.
In everyday school circumstances, that translates into the much simpler names George Wales, Charlotte Wales and Louis Wales.
The change was not always the case.
Before William became Prince of Wales, he and Kate were known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Their children therefore used Cambridge when a surname was required during their earlier school years.
George, Charlotte and Louis began their education using the Cambridge surname before the family's titles changed following Queen Elizabeth II's death and King Charles's accession to the throne.
The switch from Cambridge to Wales therefore reflects a change in royal titles rather than a conventional family-name change.
Prince William himself experienced a similar arrangement while growing up.
When William and Prince Harry attended school, their father Charles was the Prince of Wales. As a result, the brothers were known as William Wales and Harry Wales in school and later during their military careers.
The tradition therefore connects George's school identity directly with the naming system used by his father decades earlier.
Other members of the Royal Family have also used territorial titles as surnames. Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, for example, have used York in reference to their father Prince Andrew's former title as the Duke of York.
The school-name revelation comes as George enters a particularly significant stage of his education.
The 13-year-old began attending Eton College in September 2026, following in the footsteps of his father. William studied at the prestigious Berkshire school from 1995 until 2000, while Prince Harry also attended Eton.
George's move to Eton means that his education is now separate from that of his younger siblings. Charlotte and Louis remain at Lambrook School, where the three children previously attended together.
Despite the difference in schools, the Wales surname continues to provide the siblings with a shared school identity.
The future king has reportedly had other names used around his school life.
During his time at Thomas's Battersea, George was reportedly known by the nickname “PG,” based on his initials and first name. The nickname was also reportedly extended into the playful “PG Tips” reference before being shortened again.
Such nicknames demonstrate the contrast between George's public identity as a future monarch and the more ordinary environment of school life.
Princess Charlotte has also been associated with the affectionate nickname “Lottie.” The name has previously been linked to comments made by Princess Kate when discussing her daughter.
Prince Louis, meanwhile, has reportedly been called “Lou Lou” by members of his family.
These informal names offer another glimpse into how the Wales children can have a relatively normal family life despite being among the most closely watched young royals in Britain.
The contrast is particularly striking for George. Officially, he is Prince George of Wales and second in line to the British throne. His future position makes him one of the most important members of the next generation of the monarchy.
Inside school, however, he can simply be George Wales.
Charlotte and Louis have a similar distinction. Their royal titles remain part of their formal identities, but their school names help create a more conventional environment among classmates.
This approach also reflects the wider effort by William and Kate to give their children a sense of normality while preparing them for their future responsibilities.
The use of Wales may seem like a minor detail, but it reveals how royal tradition adapts to everyday life.
Rather than relying on their titles at every moment, George, Charlotte and Louis can use a straightforward surname when completing school forms, interacting with classmates or taking part in ordinary school activities.
At the same time, the surname carries an important connection to their family. Wales links the three children to their parents' current titles and follows a tradition that William and Harry experienced themselves.
As George settles into life at Eton and Charlotte and Louis continue at Lambrook, the three siblings may therefore be known by names that sound surprisingly ordinary — even though their place in the Royal Family is anything but.
