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Prince Christian of Denmark has left his boarding school after it was hit by a sex abuse scandal, but the question remains: where will the future king continue his studies?
Concerned parents Crown Prince Frederick and Crown Princess Mary pulled their son out of Herlufsholm Boarding School in Næstved, south of Copenhagen, after two former students described incidents of sexual assault and corporal punishment in an explosive documentary.
Four students were expelled for filming and taking part in the alleged abuse at the 500-year-old school, which has welcomed generations of Danish royalty and nobility. Christian is not connected to the allegations in any way.
It is thought Frederick and Mary will be searching for alternative schools for their Christian and their daughter, Isabella, who had been set to join her brother at Herlufsholm. Fortunately, there is no shortage of prestigious institutions ready to welcome the teenage prince with open arms.
He would find himself in good company at UWC Atlantic College, in Wales, which boasts two European princesses – including a future queen – among its current student body.
Or perhaps Frederick and Mary will plump for Institut Le Rosey in Rolle, Switzerland, which is known as the ‘school of kings’ thanks to its rollcall of former royal students – and eye-watering £110,000-a-year school fees.
Here, FEMAIL takes a peek behind the gates of the schools with the royal seal of approval…
HIPPIE HOGWARTS
UWC Atlantic College, Glamorgan, Wales
Notable royal alumni: King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, Princess Raiyah of Jordan, Princess Elisabeth of Belgium. Princess Alexia of The Netherlands and Princess Leonor of Spain are both current students.
Royal classmates: Princess Alexia of The Netherlands, left, and Princess Leonor of Spain, right, are both current students at UWC Atlantic College, in Wales
Princess Alexia of The Netherlands is leaving her home country and heading to Wales to study at UWC Atlantic College, pictured, the Dutch royal family has announce
Old and new: Lessons take place in modern academic blocks built in the 1960s–80s, converted Medieval estate buildings, and the castle itself (pictured, the school’s library)
With school fees for a two-year course costing £67,000, the school has a range of extra-curricular activities on offer, with its website describes it as ‘providing a platform for young individuals to learn through shared experience’ (left, the dining hall, and right, the pool)
The College has a strong tradition of boat design and boat building with members of the ‘seafront service’ required to keep the boathouse clean and tidy
Princess Alexia of The Netherlands and Princess Leonor of Spain have swapped their European palaces for a school housed in a former Welsh castle.
Heir to the Spanish throne Leonor, 16, and Alexia, 17, the second eldest child of the King and Queen of the Netherlands, have both enrolled on a £67,000, two-year course to study for their International Baccalaureate diploma at UWC Atlantic College.
The school offers activities and subjects like Tai Chi and Tibetan literature, leading it to be nicknamed ‘Hippie Hogwarts’.
UWC Atlantic College has a proven track record educating royalty. King Willem-Alexander studied there in the Eighties and Belgian heir to the throne Elisabeth graduated in 2020.
Education at the school is played out in a magical place – a 12th century Castle by the sea – with its own seafront, woodland, farmland and valley.
Atlantic College is located near the town of Llantwit Major on the South Wales coast, overlooking the Bristol Channel. It has been continuously inhabited since it was first built.
St Donat’s Castle is the main building of the College, housing the Tudor Great Hall, the Gothic Dining Hall, the Bradenstoke Hall used for assemblies and performances and an extensive 25,000-book Library.
Students at the school stay in eight purpose-built boarding houses, which accommodate approximately 48 students each.
The modern accommodation houses are named after either ancient Welsh kingdoms or benefactors to the college: Pentti Kouri, Morgannwg, Powys, Whitaker, Gwynedd, Tice and Sunley.
Unlike a conventional full school day of teaching, lessons at UWC begin at 8am and are finished in time for lunch.
The two-year Diploma Programme has two parts: the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IBDP) curriculum, and a programme of experiential learning that focuses on key aspects of ‘peace, a sustainable future, and student initiative’.
Core basics at the school include Biology, Chemistry, Economics, English Literature, Geography, History, Mathematics and Physics.
Meanwhile there are also a wide selection of optional courses to choose from, including Design Tech, Visual Arts, Film studies, Music and Global Politics among others.
The College’s literary options range from English and French Literature to Czech, Russian, Tibetan, Swedish and Urdu Literature as well.
Classes take place in modern academic blocks built in the 1960s–80s as well as converted Medieval estate buildings, and the castle itself.
THE £110,000-A-YEAR ‘SCHOOL OF KINGS’
Institut Le Rosey in Rolle, Switzerland
Royal alumni: The former Shah of Iran; Prince Rainier of Monaco; Prince Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg; Prince Dasho Ugyen Jigme Wangchuck of Bhutan; Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece and King Farouk of Egypt
The School of Kings: Alumni include the late Prince Rainier of Monaco, pictured right with his son Prince Albert of Monaco and daughter Princess Caroline of Hanover
Royal pedigree: Prince Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg (left with his wife and son) attended Institut Le Rosey. Right, Princess Marie-Chantal (centre with Kathy Hilton and Nicky Rothschild) was a student before marrying into the Greek royal family
More IS more: Established in 1880 on the site of the 14th-century Château du Rosey near the town of Rolle, the school is so rich it even has two campuses. Pictured, the summer campus
Winter retreat: From January to March, the students and staff move to their Gstaad campus, pictured — for the skiing
State-of-the-art facilities: As is to be expected with such hefty school fees, there is a staggering number of activities on offer. The school boasts football and rugby pitches, riding stables, a sailing centre, as well as three orchestras and two choirs
No expense spared: A look inside one of the plush classrooms at Institut Le Rosey
Believed to be the world’s most expensive school, £110,000-a-year Institut Le Rosey in Rolle, Switzerland, is known as the School of Kings.
Alumni include the former Shah of Iran, Prince Rainier of Monaco and King Farouk of Egypt, plus a clutch of Rothschilds and hedge funder Arpad Busson.
Celebrities who have sent their children there include Elizabeth Taylor, John Lennon and Winston Churchill.
Musicians Julian Casablancas and Albert Hammond, Jr also met at Le Rosey and later went to on form rock band The Strokes.
Established in 1880 on the site of the 14th-century Château du Rosey near the town of Rolle, the school is so rich it even has two campuses.
From January to March, the students and staff move to their Gstaad campus — for the skiing.
Pupils board full-time and follow a structured timetable as they work towards either an International Baccalaureate diploma or the French Baccalaureate.
All pupils wake at 7am and is in class from 8am-3.30pm before an evening of activities. Dinners are formal events, with boys wearing blazers and ties for their evening meals.
During the winter months, the schedule is arranged to allow students to practise winter sports without losing teaching time.
Pupils are taught in both French and English and can opt to study up to four languages. There are 20 taught at the school.
As is to be expected with such hefty school fees, there is a staggering number of activities on offer. The school boasts football and rugby pitches, riding stables, a sailing centre, as well as three orchestras and two choirs.
Students are encouraged to take weekend trips across Europe to expand their horizons.
BOARDING SCHOOL ‘VILLAGE’ IN ACRES OF WILDERNESS
Lakefield College School, Ontario, Canada
Notable royal alumni: Prince Andrew, King Felipe of Spain
Stint in Canada: The Ontario school, which charges eye-watering fees of up to £47,000-a-year for international boarders, welcomed Prince Andrew as a foreign exchange student for a term in 1978. Pictured, Andrew at the school (left)
Prestigious: Lakefield College School bills itself as ‘the best day and boarding’ establishment in Canada
Study abroad: Reigning King Felipe of Spain completed his secondary education at Lakefield, before returning home to study at the Autonomous University of Madrid
Picturesque setting: Lakefield is set in 315 acres of grounds, boasting a lake, fields and forests
The great outdoors: Lakefield students have access to a wide range of outdoor activities, including windsurfing
Lakefield College School bills itself as ‘the best day and boarding’ establishment in Canada, and is steeped in Royal history.
The Ontario school, which charges eye-watering fees of up to £47,000-a-year for international boarders, welcomed Prince Andrew as a foreign exchange student for a term in 1978.
Andrew, who completed his education at Gordonstoun, maintained a relationship with the school as the honorary chair and trustee of the Lakefield College School Foundation until 2019. He is no longer associated with the school.
Reigning King Felipe of Spain completed his secondary education at Lakefield, before returning home to study at the Autonomous University of Madrid.
A typical weekday at Lakefield, also known as The Grove, consists of academics, athletics, cocurricular and community activities.
Grade 9 through 12 students and staff start the morning off at Chapel, where announcements are shared and particular calendar dates are celebrated.
Following this, students embark on four periods of class – and additionally have the opportunity to individually meet with the likes of teachers, advisors and tutors for additional help.
After fourth period, arts rehearsals, cocurricular programs and athletics activities take the place before dinner.
The independent school also offers programmes such as Leadership, Character, Values programme which provides students with a set of tools for applying in all aspects of their lives.
‘COLDITZ WITH KILTS’
Gordonstoun, Moray, Scotland
Notable royal alumni: The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Charles, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward, Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall
Family tradition: Nestled in the Scottish countryside, Gordonstoun has educated three generations of the British Royal Family, including the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Charles, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, all pictured with the Queen in 1979
Outdoor pursuits: Fees cost up to £15,550-a-year for sixth form students but cover ‘virtually everything’, including expeditions and sail training and most weekend activities
Miserable: Prince Charles arrives with his former pupil father Prince Philip at Gordonstoun School in Scotland for his first term in 1962, and is shown around by Captain Iain Tennant, chairman of the board of governors. Charles hated his time at Gordonstoun
Seen on screen: Charles’ terrible experience at the school was central to The Crown (pictured)
Next generation: Princess Anne’s children Peter and Zara also attended Gordonstoun
Nestled in the Scottish countryside, Gordonstoun has educated three generations of the British Royal Family – including Prince Philip, who joined at the age of 13 after leaving his native Germany. He was only the tenth pupil at Gordonstoun.
The school’s founder, Dr Hahn, who fled Nazi Germany, became a mentor to the young Prince Philip as he navigated a life without the close involvement of his parents.
As shown on Netflix’s The Crown, Gordonstoun became the making of Prince Philip and was the birthplace of the Duke of Edinburgh Award.
However his son Prince Charles famously hated his time at the school, describing it as Colditz with kilts.
The heir to the throne was punched as he slept in Gordonstoun’s penal-style dormitories, was bullied mercilessly because of his ears and saw other new boys attacked with pliers until the flesh on their arms tore open.
His younger brothers Andrew and Edward also boarded at Gordonstoun, as did Princess Anne’s children Peter and Zara.
Fees cost up to £15,550-a-year for sixth form students but cover ‘virtually everything’, including expeditions and sail training and most weekend activities.
These extracurricular activities are the cornerstone of Gordonstoun’s ethos, which vows to prepare students for more than just exams.
EXCLUSIVE SCHOOL IN THE SWISS ALPS
Collège Alpin International Beau Soleil, Villars-sur-Ollon, Switzerland
Royal alumni: Princess Marie of Denmark; Prince Felix and Princess Claire of Luxembourg
Family ties: Prince Christian could follow in the footsteps of his aunt, Princess Marie of Denmark, and enroll at the picturesque Collège Alpin International Beau Soleil in Villars-sur-Ollon, Switzerland. Pictured, Marie (left) with husband Joachim of Denmark and Christian’s parents Crown Princess Mary and Crown Prince Frederick
School sweethearts: Past pupils include Prince Felix and Princess Claire of Luxembourg, who met as students at the £99,000-a-year school. Pictured, the couple at their 2013 wedding
Storybook school: Founded in 1910 the College Alpin, which has views of Mont Blanc, is one of the oldest private boarding schools in Switzerland and welcomes students from more than 40 countries
Stunning setting: The school’s outdoor pool has a terrace with views of the Swiss Alps
Prince Christian could follow in the footsteps of his aunt, Princess Marie of Denmark, and enroll at the picturesque Collège Alpin International Beau Soleil in Villars-sur-Ollon, Switzerland.
Founded in 1910 the College Alpin, which has views of Mont Blanc, is one of the oldest private boarding schools in Switzerland and welcomes students from more than 40 countries.
However with fewer than 300 pupils in total, parents can rest easy knowing their child will receive deeply personal care.
Past pupils include Prince Felix and Princess Claire of Luxembourg, who met as students at the £99,000-a-year school.
The school’s ethos focuses on fostering a broad world view among students, who undertake expeditions to locations as far afield as Cambodia, Ghana and Tanzania.
Ski slopes and the ice-skating rink are only a minute’s walk away from the school, with a full winter sports programme available.
Danish boarding school embroiled in sex abuse scandal
Herlufsholm Boarding School, Næstved, Denmark
Former pupil: Prince Christian of Denmark
Princess Mary and Prince Frederik have removed their eldest son Christian from a prestigious Danish high school after serious allegations of sexual assault and bullying were levelled against the establishment
The Danish royal family have also confirmed their second eldest child, Isabella, will not be attending the Herlufsholm Boarding School towards the end of the year as they had originally planned
Prince Christian, who is 16 and first joined the school in August last year, is not connected to the allegations in any way
Princess Mary and Prince Frederik have removed their eldest son Christian from a prestigious Danish high school after serious allegations of sexual assault and bullying were levelled against the establishment.
The Danish royal family have also confirmed their second eldest child, Isabella, will not be attending the Herlufsholm Boarding School towards the end of the year as they had originally planned.
‘The question about our son Christian’s and our daughter Isabella’s choice of school has been very important for us, and the unfortunate matter has brought many and strong opinions into play in the public,’ Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary said in a joint statement on Sunday.
‘That is completely understandable when it deals with the well-being of children and young people. At the same time, it has been important to stand by our basic idea that major decisions must be made on an informed basis. We now have that basis.’
Herlufsholm Boarding School became the subject of a documentary that saw two former students describe their dealings with sexual assault and another of corporal punishment.
Four students were expelled by the school for taking part in the alleged abuse and filming parts of it.
Prince Christian, who is 16 and first joined the school in August last year, is not connected to the allegations in any way.
The statement continued: ‘It has been a difficult process for us as a family, but, based on the overall picture and our special position as Crown Prince Couple, we have chosen that Prince Christian will stop at Herlufsholm and that Princess Isabella will not start in ninth class at the school after the summer holiday.
‘During the summer, we, together with our children, will make a decision about their future choice of schools.
‘With thoughts about the many students who will continue at Herlufsholm, it is our hope that the school now gets more peace to ensure the necessary changes and succeeds in creating a culture in which all thrive and feel safe.’
The school’s principal Mikkel Kjellberg, who was fired shortly after the documentary came to light, said the allegations contained within the television program were ‘very old cases have been used from another time – where the culture at Herlufsholm was different’.
‘Bullying, violence or sexual abuse is not acceptable at Herlufsholm School,’ Kjellberg said at the time.
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