Inside the classroom, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis can leave their formal royal titles at the door. Although their names are instantly recognizable, the three children can use a much simpler surname when one is required at school.
Their surname was once “Cambridge,” reflecting William and Catherine’s former titles as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. But after Queen Elizabeth II died in September 2022 and Charles became King, William and Catherine became the Prince and Princess of Wales, changing the children’s school surname as well.
George, Charlotte and Louis can now be known as George Wales, Charlotte Wales and Louis Wales, following a practice that William and Prince Harry themselves used during their school years and military careers. The tradition is not limited to the Wales family, either. Other members of the Royal Family have used surnames connected to their parents’ titles, while Mountbatten-Windsor remains a broader surname available to royal descendants when a surname is needed.
For the children, the arrangement offers a small sense of normality despite their extraordinary circumstances. At school, they can interact with classmates without constantly emphasizing their royal status, even though their identities are impossible to keep completely private.
As they grow older, that balance between ordinary childhood and royal responsibility is likely to become increasingly important. George, Charlotte and Louis are already among the most recognizable young members of the British Royal Family, and their lives will continue to attract enormous public interest.
Yet something as simple as using “Wales” instead of a royal title can give them a little distance from the expectations surrounding their family. It is a small tradition, but one that helps remind them that before they become future representatives of the monarchy, they are still children growing up, going to school and sharing everyday moments with their friends.
