When she was 14-years-old, Kate Middleton arrived at the prestigious Marlborough College, where she stayed for four happy years. And she is by no means the only regal past pupil…

The Princess of Wales spent four happy years at the exclusive Marlborough College in her teenage years. And she’s not the only royal alma mater.

Kate arrived at the prestigious Wiltshire school, for pupils aged 13 to 18, in 1996. The then-14-year-old Kate Middleton was a shy teen, having moved to Marlborough after enduring alleged bullying at her previous school, Downe House. But during her four years there, the future Princess of Wales blossomed into a confident and accomplished young woman, who excelled at hockey and would go on to become co-captain of the tennis team.

Kate joined the all-girls boarding house, Elmhurst, and contemporaries recall her listening to her Walkman, watching Friends and indulging in Marmite sandwiches.

Marlborough College is open to pupils between 13 and 18 (Image: REX/Shutterstock)

Meanwhile, housemistress Ann Patching previously spoke of her former pupil’s love of lasagne and pasta bakes – but noted that Kate “always stayed very slim”.

Kate left the college in 2000, having achieved three A-levels – an ‘A’ in mathematics, an ‘A’ in art, and a ‘B’ in English – and departed on a gap year before heading to University of St Andrews, where she met Prince William. Three years later, Marlborough welcomed one of Kate’s future family members – Princess Eugenie. The Princess was a pupil at the school from 2003 to 2008, and returned to Marlborough College in 2018 to open its newly refurbished Memorial Hall.

After leaving school, Eugenie took a gap year before studying Art History and English Literature at Newcastle University, where she gained a 2:1 degree.

Other notable names to attend Marlborough College include Kate’s younger siblings, Pippa and James Middleton. Pippa won an all-rounder scholarship and enrolled at the same boarding house as her older sister. The sporty teen also joined the hockey team.

It comes after it was revealed that Kate and William have visited both of their former schools as Prince George prepares to begin his secondary education..

The royals spent time at both Marlborough College and at Eton, the famed boarding school for boys 13–18 years old which William attended from 1995 until 2000. His younger brother Prince Harry was also enrolled.

However, according to reports, William and Kate have added Oundle School to their top choices for the future monarch. There were said to be concerns that Marlborough has become ‘too flashy’ as a top choice for super-rich families since the Middletons previously attended.

A source said: “The 2024 version of Marlborough may be quite different from how Kate remembers it. It’s become a little more jet-set. Lots of parents have villas in Ibiza, chalets in Verbier or a private jet, which isn’t Kate’s style.”

Oundle, meanwhile, shares values close to green campaigner King Charles’ heart, and it’s known for its efforts towards environmental sustainability.

The £34,000-a-year co-ed dates back to 1556 but boasts a modern ethos. Its website reads: “We have a responsibility to ensure that every single member of the school community takes both individual and collective action towards environmental sustainability.

“We encourage aspiration and abhor arrogance, nurturing open minds, authentic self-belief and a sense of service. We believe that boarding offers the best environment within which to realise these educational ambitions, with day pupils involved fully in the breadth offered by such an education.”