Like thousands of teenagers across the country, the royal family have had to endure the nervous waits for their GCSE grades after taking the exams, but not everyone pulled off a stellar grade
Like many nervous student across the country, even members of the Royal Family had to sit in the exam hall and knuckle down on their studies.
As anxious students from all over the UK prepare to open their GCSE exam results today, it’s worth remembering even the royals were once in their position. Despite attending some of the best schools around with access to world-class tutors, they too will have felt felt the dread of not knowing what was in the envelope.
We take a look at who the brainiest royals are in the family, and which decided academia wasn’t quite for them and what they did once they received their marks.
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Prince William and Prince Harry
The future King Prince William has proven to be one of the brainiest members of the Firm. William spent five years at Ludgrove Prep School in Berkshire before attending prestigious boy’s school Eton College.
Wills managed to walk out with 12 GCSEs – and his results appear to have been very impressive.
While it’s not known exactly what grades William got, they were strong enough for him to go on to study his A-levels. He achieved As in Geography and History of Art and a C in Biology, which earned him a place at the prestigious St Andrews University.
Prince Harry, despite attending Eton like his older brother, wasn’t as academically inclined. The young Royal was a sports captain and represented the school in rugby, polo and cricket.
He still managed to secure an impressive 11 GCSEs and went on to study A-levels. After achieving a B in Art and D in Geography, Harry decided that further education wasn’t for him. Instead of heading to university, Harry chose to join the Army.
Kate Middleton
The Princess of Wales completed her GCSEs at Marlborough College in Wiltshire, one of the country’s top private schools and also where Princess Eugenie studied during her teenage years.
Kate achieved 11 GCSEs before going on to score As in Maths and Art and a B in English for her A-levels. Like William, Kate took a gap year before heading to university.
She then attended St Andrews University to study History of Art, where she met her future husband.
Meghan Markle
Raised in the US, Meghan Markle didn’t follow the same educational path as the Royal Family. While we don’t have specific details about her academic performance, we know she was a talented and popular student.
Meghan began her secondary education at Immaculate Heart High School in 1992, where she was recognised as a diligent and focused pupil. America doesn’t use GCSEs or A-levels for student assessments like the UK, and while Meghan’s SAT scores (the American university entrance exam) haven’t been disclosed, it’s known that she achieved the necessary grades to secure a university place.
She went on to earn a double major in Theatre and International Relations from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois in 2003. During her university years, Meghan undertook an internship at the US Embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where she picked up Spanish. She also studied French for six years.
Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie
As for Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, the York sisters performed well in their GCSEs, but Eugenie outshone her sister when it came to grades. Princess Beatrice secured nine GCSEs including two A*s.
Her top grades were in history and drama, and she also scored As in French and art, with Bs in all other subjects.
Eugenie achieved two A*s, four As and three Bs at the private Marlborough College in Wiltshire. At the time, a spokeswoman for her mother, Sarah Ferguson, said: “She’s feeling relieved and really happy.”
King Charles
The late Queen and Prince Philip chose to send their children to Gordonstoun, a notoriously strict Scottish boarding school that blends academic learning with physical education.
It’s well-known that Charles had a tough time at school and didn’t enjoy his experience there. He left with five O-levels (the old equivalent of GCSEs) and two A-levels – a B in History and a C in French. He then proceeded to Cambridge University where he secured a 2:2 degree in History.
Princess Diana
Princess Diana wasn’t as academically gifted as her sons would later prove to be, and she actually failed her exams.
She sat O-levels instead of GCSEs but didn’t pass, even after two attempts. However, she quickly discovered her true talents – finishing school. She attended a school in Switzerland and excelled in deportment.
