Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis may have some of the most recognizable royal titles in the world, but inside the classroom, things are considerably less formal. The three children of Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Prince and Princess of Wales, do not routinely use “Prince” or “Princess” as part of their everyday school names. Instead, they follow a royal family tradition that gives them names that sound much more like those of their classmates.
At school, they are known as George Wales, Charlotte Wales and Louis Wales, according to reports.
© PA Images via Getty ImagesWhat names do Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis use at school?
When a surname is required, the royal siblings use Wales, taken from their parents’ titles as the Prince and Princess of Wales. That means Prince George becomes George Wales, Princess Charlotte is Charlotte Wales, and Prince Louis is Louis Wales in the school setting.
Their formal royal styles are quite different. The Royal Family lists the siblings as Prince George of Wales, Princess Charlotte of Wales and Prince Louis of Wales. George is second in line to the throne behind his father, followed by Charlotte in third place and Louis in fourth.
The simpler school names allow them to skip the formality of their titles during ordinary school life.
© SOPA Images/LightRocket via GettFor George, that school life has now entered a significant new chapter. The 13-year-old began attending Eton College in September 2026, following in the footsteps of Prince William, while Charlotte and Louis continue their education at Lambrook. Recent reporting confirms George has begun his first term at Eton.
© Getty ImagesWhy do the royal children use Wales as their surname?
There is a straightforward royal explanation. Members of the Royal Family with titles do not always need to use a conventional surname in the way most families do. When one is needed, royal children have historically been able to use a name connected to their parents’ territorial titles.
George, Charlotte and Louis previously used Cambridge at school because William and Kate were the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Reports from before the change described them as George Cambridge, Charlotte Cambridge and Louis Cambridge.
© WireImageThat changed after Queen Elizabeth II died in September 2022 and King Charles III acceded to the throne. William subsequently became Prince of Wales, the title previously held by his father. The Royal Family confirms that King Charles announced that his eldest son would be known as the Prince of Wales following the late Queen’s death.
The children consequently became George, Charlotte and Louis of Wales, and “Wales” became the surname used for school purposes.
Prince William used the same school naming tradition
George, Charlotte and Louis are not the first young royals to experience this switch between palace titles and school names.
Prince William and Prince Harry were known as William Wales and Harry Wales during their younger years, taking the name from their father, who was then the Prince of Wales. PEOPLE notes that the same royal naming convention has been used elsewhere in the family, including by Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, who used “York” in reference to their father’s Duke of York title.
© Princess Diana ArchiveSo although “George Wales” may sound surprisingly ordinary for a future king, it is actually rooted in an established royal practice.
Prince George reportedly had another very British school nickname
George’s surname is not the only name linked to his school days.
During his time at Thomas’s Battersea, reports claimed his classmates called him “PG,” an obvious play on Prince George. The nickname reportedly developed into “PG Tips,” after the famous British tea brand, and was eventually shortened again to “Tips.”
Even more intriguingly, George once reportedly introduced himself to a stranger using a completely unexpected name.
© Kensington PalaceIn 2019, a woman who encountered George while he was out with his grandmother Carole Middleton said she asked the young prince his name, despite already knowing who he was.
According to Marie Claire UK, George replied: “I’m called Archie!”
The woman recalled: “To my astonishment, he said, ‘I’m called Archie,’ with a big smile on his face.”
What nicknames do Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis have?
Charlotte has also been linked to a more familiar nickname. Kate previously appeared to reveal that she calls her daughter “Lottie,” a traditional shortening of Charlotte. During a conversation with a member of the public whose son was the same age as Charlotte, Kate reportedly responded: “Oh, he’s the same age as Lottie.”
Charlotte has also been linked to the affectionate nickname “Mignonette,” reportedly used by Prince William. Louis, meanwhile, has reportedly been called “Lou Lou” by his older siblings.
© Karwai TangThe ordinary school names behind extraordinary royal titles
The contrast is particularly striking in George’s case. Officially, he is Prince George of Wales and second in line to the British throne. One day, if the monarchy continues on its current line of succession, he is expected to become king.
Yet at school, “George Wales” is enough.
Charlotte and Louis have the same distinction. Their titles may identify them instantly as members of Britain’s most famous family, but their school names remove at least some of that formality.
© TheprinceandprincessofwalesFuture king or not, school mornings apparently remain school mornings.
