Kate Middleton, Prince William facing adverse effects from government’s policy
Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis’ school fees are poised to collectively increase by over £75,000 due to Sir Keir Starmer’s new legislation.
The newly elected Prime Minister secured a decisive victory in the July 4 General Election, with a manifesto promising to implement a value-added tax (VAT) on private school fees.
This policy was outlined in the King’s Speech delivered by the monarch on Wednesday, detailing the government’s agenda for the upcoming year following the transition from a Conservative to a Labour government.
King Charles announced in the House of Lords that the new measures would eliminate the VAT exemption on private school fees, enabling funding for 6,500 new teachers.
Once implemented, parents at Lambrook School in Berkshire, attended by George 10, Charlotte 9, and Louis 6 as day pupils, will face a 20% increase in tax. This would add approximately £12,595 to the total bill that the Prince and Princess of Wales will pay for all three children, bringing it to over £75,000.
For the school year 2023 to 2024, Kate Middleton and Prince William paid £24,714 for Prince George’s education, £22,767 for Charlotte’s, and £15,498 for Louis’s education, according to the school’s website. This totaled £62,979 for all three children throughout the entire school year.
In the coming years, Prince William and Kate will need to make a crucial decision about whether Prince George, the future King, will continue to boarding school at Eton after completing Year 8 at Lambrook.
If George attends Eton, his fees at current rates would be £17,583 per term and £52,749 for the year. However, with the addition of VAT, George’s bill would increase by £10,549 to £63,298.
A Government spokesperson has said regarding the new policy: “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.”