No wonder Charles was so unhappy at school

I thought of Prince Charles (as he then was) a few days ago when I was reading a thread by a mum who was asking how she could make her son "more sporty". As someone who was academic rather than sporty I felt sorry for the poor little begger. And it brought to mind the issues raised upthread by other posters of how the late Prince Phillip tried to toughen up his eldest son. No wonder poor Charles had a difficult relationship with his parents! He called it "Colditz in kilts".

What possible guarantee of safety can there be for a small child sent away to school? Even if the staff are kindly and watchful they cannot be on guard 24/7 and it only takes one or two nasty people to make a child's life hell. I also fear that paedophilia is more rampant than we realise, we just can't bear the thought. Thus perpetrators get away with it - look at Jimmy Savile

sad but not only applies to public schools, but they were and probably still are getting away with the abuses. Consider that almost of the men 'at the top' of society have been there, psychology will explain the abhorent present behaviours of some of them. first the abandonement by your parents at a vulnerable age,then to a living hell,very sad.

My father was shocked at the schools chosen for Prince Charles and Princess Anne, that I do remember. Not that he had any say in the matter, as an ordinary citizen, and as he had not himself been to boarding school or had ever considered sending his children away to school, you could rightly call him prejudiced.

I honestly do not think any boys' boarding school of that era would have been better.

Since the 1970's many of them not only in Britain but all over the world have been accused of ignoring sexual abuse either between masters and pupils or between older and younger pupils.

I have no idea whether sexual abuse was prevalent at Gordenstoun or not, when King Charles was there, but I do know that in my childhood and teenage years ( I am a year younger than Princess Anne so this is relevant) most middle class Scottish parents were shocked by the way the royal children were being brought up, their public behaviour, and the immorality of some of their adult relations, such as the Duke and Duchess of Hamilton, Princess Margaret and Lady Mountbatten - not so suprising Prince Andrew turned out as he did.

TerriBull

I thought boarding school sounded jolly good fun when I read the Mallory Towers books, it was all those midnight feasts in the dorm. I rather think Hogwarts might have sold the idea of boarding to a later generation.

You have chosen to name 2 family members from different generations and 2 people who were not royal children

My P-in-L, of necessity, sent five of their six children to boarding school in another country. I would say that all five were emotionally scarred though none was abused. All are in their 70s/80s and they and their families have suffered accordingly. I live near Gordonstoun and have friends who have sent their children there and they have thrived, things have changed there, thank God. I also have friends who want to take their child away before he becomes anymore “entitled”! And yet another friend who, even though he went to Gordonstoun is not going to send his children. So all that goes to show that what works for some does not work for others. More stringent safeguarding was needed and is now, hopefully, in place.

BlueBelle

I think it’s awful to have a child and send it away I don’t understand it at all and for everyone who says their husband, son, boyfriend had a great time I bet there’s two or more that didn’t

I absolutely agree and I can’t imagine it. We had friends whose children shipped off at 10 or so and I was aghast. Never would I have ever that’s for sure.

The late Mr D decided that I was a bloody awful mother, so it would be better if the children boarded. They loved it. Prep school in Northumberland, then Oundle and St Felix, then The Leys. Mr D went to The Dragon, then Rugby. Loved it too. The current OH went to Stowe. Had a fabulous time.

I think that knocking boarding school smacks of the politics of envy. Maybe wrong, but ........................................

There have been many reported cases of abuse at public schools. There was a TV programme a while ago on abuse by schoolmasters at public schools in Edinburgh - Nicky Campbell was one of those affected. Part of the scandal was that these known abusers were nontheless given references by the headmaster to apply to other schools. In a separate programme Earl Spencer has spoken about the abuse he received at his school. Heartbreaking stories.

The names posters are dredging up on this thread are of people in their 60s and 70s. Yes, abuse did happen back then, it was terrible, but it wouldn't happen today with all the safe guarding measures in place. DH is in his 60s, he knows it went on at his public school, but he is 99% sure it wouldn't be the same now (and he visits these schools and checks them as his job).
I agree with those who say that some people just want to knock boarding schools, having no knowledge of what they are like today.

I had a work colleague who sent her daughter there foot her 6 th form. She ended up pregnant by a school cleaner and got 2 Es and a U at A level - costing 34 K. 😱

My LH boarded from the age of 6 and loved it. He was a very sporty, friendly person who was, I have been told, very popular at school. He always spoke very fondly of his schooldays and it did sound amazing fun. I could never quite understand why he was sent away to board along with his older brother as they only lived about 15 miles from the school and his mother didn't go out to work. LH told me they were day boys and had to board while his parents went off on holiday. He loved boarding so much they agreed to let the boys stay on. I think, perhaps, that says more about my mil to be honest! I cannot have imagined sending either of my boys away especially the you ger one who was an absolute mummy's boy!

My parents wanted to send us all away to school. Also, all my 8 cousins were sent away to school. It was what one did in those days if one could afford private education. My mother mentioned it was because there were so many pupils in state schools being from the baby boom age.
I will admit the school I attended was so old fashioned. We had to curtsy every night to our head etc. princess Anne came to watch Bennidon school play games against us as my school was very near to Benedin
Excuse if my spelling is weird as I am writing this when it is nearly dark

TerriBull

I thought boarding school sounded jolly good fun when I read the Mallory Towers books, it was all those midnight feasts in the dorm. I rather think Hogwarts might have sold the idea of boarding to a later generation.

My seven year old granddaughter loves the Mallory Towers books 📚
She dressed up in character for World Book Day and it really suited her 😊

Twig14

Callistemon213 - thank you for your message. I will make sure I collect my DGS for exeats.

what age is your GS ?
i believe boarders from overseas have to have a guardian nominated, who is a UK resident, for legal reasons.
this is not necessarily a relative; there are companies who provide this service for a fee.

Boarding school was never an option in our family. I was perfectly happy at our local state grammar school - until some bright spark decided to abolish them. Yet they still exist in some parts of the country…🤔

No teacher at Gordonstown is ever going to so stupid as to attempt anything inappropriate with the future King of the Country.

It's always seemed strange to me to have children and then send them away to boarding school.

I think there is a time individual children are ready to be away from a loving family and be independent around strangers but it isn't when they are young and hard to know they are ready... Even going to UNI had a massive impact on my son being parted from family

Most of us send our children to regular school and hope sincerely that the people they are with genuinely care for them and don't we cause a fuss when it appears in any way that is not happening lol

But boarding school is even harsher if the staff do not care about the children

How people could send their kids away at the age of 8, as they did, beats me. Guess we are all different but you have to wonder if it affects their later relationships.

My sister and I were sent to an independent co-ed boarding school for a very good reason. I was nine. I can’t say that I loved it but I understood why I was there. As far as I’m aware there was no abuse or bullying at all, although looking back it was pretty spartan.

Do posters actually believe that abuse, in its many forms, can't possibly happen in state schools then? Really?

The OP is a non-sequitur anyway.

Yes, it won’t be the first time that somebody has got the wrong end of the stick then proceeded to beat everyone about the head with it!