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By Jack Royston
Chief Royal Correspondent
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Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis' private school is due to be affected by a new government policy that could leave Prince William and Princess Kate paying more than $100,000 a year for the three children.
New Prime Minister Keir Starmer won a landslide victory in the July 4 general election on the back of a manifesto that pledged to introduce a value-added tax (VAT) on private school fees.
The policy was also in the King's Speech on Wednesday, which was delivered by the monarch, but written by the government and outlined its agenda for the coming year. The speech marks the state opening of Parliament.
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King Charles III told the House of Lords: "Measures will be brought forward to remove the exemption from value-added tax for private school fees, which will enable the funding of six and a half thousand new teachers."
Once in place, parents at Lambrook School in Berkshire, which George, Charlotte, and Louis attend as day pupils, will be expected to pay 20 percent extra in tax.
Assuming the school does not change its fees to make the transition easier for parents, this would add roughly $17,000 to the total bill William and Kate would have to pick up for all three children, bringing it to more than $100,000.
George turns 11 this month, meaning he has two years left at Lambrook's Upper School. Based on current charges, fees were £8,238 per term, or £24,714 per year (around $32,200).
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Charlotte, 9, has the same fees, while costs for Louis were lower at £5,166 per term, or £15,498 (around $20,000) per year, as he has been in Year 1 of the pre-preparatory school.
So, for the past year, William and Kate have been paying around £64,926, or approximately $84,600.
If VAT were to be introduced for the coming year, which will almost certainly be too soon for the government, it would mean William and Kate paying £4,942.80 more for each of George and Charlotte and £3,099.60 for Louis, adding up to £12,985.20 (a little short of $17,000). And that would make a grand total of £77,911 (around $101,445).
Newsweek approached Kensington Palace for comment.
However, if the policy does not kick in until the start of the following academic year, Louis would be in Year 3 by then, moving up to the preparatory school, where fees rise to £7,589 per term, or £22,767 (just short of $30,000) before tax.
Once VAT is added, an additional £4,553 would be added, bringing the total for him to £27,320 (around $35,500). This would also bump the total VAT bill for the three children to £13,437 ($17,500).
There is nothing to suggest William and Kate would struggle to cover the extra money, and they have never expressed an opinion on the policy.
Some British newspapers, including The Daily Telegraph, have voiced opposition, suggesting some private schools might be at risk of closure.
The British public, though, appears to be broadly supportive, with polling by Ipsos in October showing 57 percent in favor and 18 percent opposed.
William, Kate and George will have a key decision in the next few years about whether the future king will go on to boarding school at Eton once he finishes Year 8 at Lambrook.
If George does go to Eton, following in William and Prince Harry's footsteps, his fees at current rates would be £17,583 per term—known as halves in Eton—and £52,749 per year, or around $68,600.
If the fees remained the same after VAT was applied, George's bill would rise by £10,549 to £63,298 (around $82,400).
A government spokesperson told Newsweek: "Education matters and is at the heart of our mission to break down barriers to opportunity so every child gets the best start in life.
"Ending tax breaks on private schools will help to raise revenue for essential public services, including delivering on our pledge to recruit 6,500 teachers."
Jack Royston is Newsweek*'s chief royal correspondent based in London. You can find him on X, formerly Twitter, at @jack_royston and read his stories on* Newsweek*'s The Royals Facebook page.*
Do you have a question about King Charles III and Queen Camilla, William and Kate, Meghan Markle and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We'd love to hear from you.
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