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Privacy Notice As A-level results are being opened across the nation today (Wednesday, 15 August), it’s comforting to know that even our royals have experienced the same jitters before unveiling their grades. From King Charles to Kate Middleton and even Lady Louise Windsor, who sat her exams in 2022, there’s been a wide range of academic performances among the senior royals. Interestingly, some didn’t even pursue formal qualifications, proving that regardless of the grades you bag, there are always plenty of opportunities waiting for you. Let’s take a look at how the royals fared in their exams, including the King’s bodyguard who outshone him…
King Charles earned a B and C at A-level
(Image: Getty Images)
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King Charles For his schooling, King Charles attended Gordonstoun, a notoriously strict private school in Scotland known for its blend of academic and outdoor education. While at Gordonstoun, Charles sat for both his O-levels (GCSEs) and two A-level exams, securing 5 O-level grades and a B in A-level History, along with a C in French. Despite these seemingly modest grades, Charles managed to secure a spot at Cambridge University where he earned a 2:2 degree in History. Interestingly, it’s widely speculated that Charles’ bodyguard, who accompanied him to all his lessons, also sat the course exams and outperformed the senior Royal by achieving a First! Prince William
Prince William however fared better than his father after achieving an A, B and C
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Like his father, Prince William was also educated at a private school. However, instead of Gordonstoun, he attended Eton College in 1995. After five years of diligent study, William collected his A-level results in 2000. He achieved a variety of grades, including an A in geography, a B in art, and a C in biology. With these grades, William secured a place to study History of Art at St. Andrews in Scotland. However, he later switched courses to pursue his true passion, Geography. Before starting his course at St. Andrews, William took a gap year and spent much of his time travelling around the world, visiting countries such as Chile, Kenya, Tanzania, and Botswana. Prince Harry
Harry meanwhile, was not quite as academically gifted as his big brother
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Unlike his older brother, Prince Harry didn’t perform quite as well academically when he received his A-level results at Eton in 2003, earning a B in Art and a D in Geography. However, despite slightly lower grades than his sibling, Harry had a long and impressive list of extracurricular activities. These included being the House Captain of Games, representing the school in rugby, cricket, and polo, and being a member of the Combined Cadet Force. After completing his exams, Harry also took a gap year and travelled to Australia, Africa and Argentina before deciding not to pursue his studies at university. Instead, he joined the Army and led a very successful career with them. Kate Middleton
Kate Middleton however was able to secure 2 A grades and a B
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The Princess of Wales is well known for her competitive streak when it comes to her husband, so it may not be surprising that Kate outperformed Prince William in their A-levels by achieving higher grades. She attended Marlborough College in Wiltshire during her formative years and managed to score As in both Maths and Art and a B in English. Thanks to these grades, Kate secured a place at St. Andrews University, where she would later meet her future husband and fall in love. Just like William and Harry, Kate also chose to take a gap year before continuing her studies. She graduated from St. Andrews in 2005 with a 2:1 in History of Art. Meghan Markle
Unlike the rest of the royals, Meghan sat SAT exams instead of A-levels
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Meghan Markle was educated in the United States of America, so she didn’t follow the same exam system as in the UK. Instead of sitting A-levels, students in the US sit SAT exams, a special kind of multiple choice test that is administered every year to students hoping to go to university. Although her SAT grades were never publicly reported, we do know that she achieved high enough grades to study at Northwestern University, a prestigious private research university located in Evanston, Illinois. During her time in the UK, Meghan pursued a double major in Theatre and International Relations, graduating successfully in 2003. Alongside her studies, Meghan also interned at the US Embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where she picked up Spanish. She also studied French for six years. Princess Anne
The Princess Royal was the first female member of the royal family to attend a school
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Princess Anne was the first female British royal to attend school, setting a high standard for future royals. She completed her six O-Levels at Benenden School in Kent and went on to achieve 3 A-level exams in English, History and Politics, although the grades have never been publicly confirmed. Princess Eugenie
Princess Eugenie is widely considered to have the best grades of anyone in the royal family
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Often regarded as the most academically gifted royal, Princess Eugenie secured two As in Art and English Literature and a B in History of Art in her A-level exams. With such impressive grades, Eugenie later studied English Literature, History of Art and Politics at Newcastle, graduating with a 2:1 at the end of her three-year course in 2012. Princess Beatrice
Princess Beatrice also received admirable grades which secured her place at university
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Eugenie’s older sister, Princess Beatrice, also earned herself an impressive set of grades, achieving an A in Drama and two Bs in History and Film Studies. She later studied at Goldsmith’s, earning a 2:1 in History of Ideas. Lady Louise Windsor
Lady Louise followed in the footsteps of Prince William to study at St.Andrews in 2022
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Lady Louise Windsor, having aced her A-levels during the pandemic, followed in the footsteps of royal academia and secured a spot at St Andrews University to study for an MA in English in 2022. The young royal’s impressive achievement comes with the university’s stringent entry requirements, suggesting she’s scored quite the academic triumph. A Palace spokesperson shared the exciting news at the time and said: “Having received her A-level results today [2022], Lady Louise will start at St Andrews University in September to study English.” Princess Diana
Princess Diana failed her O-levels twice!
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Princess Diana, on the other hand, had a different experience with her studies. Despite attending school, she didn’t pass any of her O-level exams, failing them twice. Nevertheless, Diana’s charm and grace were undeniable, and she shone in deportment after her time at finishing school in Switzerland. Queen Elizabeth II
Unlike the rest of her relatives, The Queen never had to sit an academic exam in her life
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In contrast, Queen Elizabeth II’s education was unique to her royal status. She never attended formal schooling or sat for academic exams, thus having no formal qualifications. Her education was conducted privately by a governess, a routine that continued until her uncle, Edward VIII, abdicated the throne. Following that, she started learning the skills required for her future role as queen, with lessons on constitutional history given by Henry Marten, the vice provost of Eton College. Despite not having a traditional formal education, the Queen was renowned for her intelligence and sharp analytical mind, maintaining a lifelong love for learning. French was a favourite subject of the monarch, leading to her becoming fluent in the language before she took the throne.Story SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.Follow OK! MagazineFacebookTwitterCommentMore OnKate MiddletonMeghan MarklePrince HarryPrince WilliamRoyal Family
