Royal A level results show mixed outcomes

A look at how Prince William, Prince Harry, Catherine Middleton, Meghan Markle and other royals fared in their A levels and early higher education.

Royal A levels reveal mixed outcomes across the family

Prince William attended Eton College and left with an A in geography, a B in art and a C in biology. After a gap year that included army training in Belize, he studied History of Art at St Andrews and later geography, finishing with an upper second class honours in 2005.

Prince Harry completed his studies at Eton as well, with a B in art and a D in geography in 2003. He did a gap year travelling and then pursued a military career rather than university life.

Catherine Middleton, later the Princess of Wales, attended a private boarding school in Wiltshire. She achieved higher A level grades than William, with As in maths and art and a B in English. She travelled after school and entered St Andrews in 2003, earning a 2:1 in History of Art.

Meghan Markle did not take A levels because she followed the American education system. She attended Immaculate Heart High School in Hollywood and later earned a bachelor’s degree after studying Theatre and International Studies at Northwestern University in 2003.

Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie also went to university. Eugenie earned two As in art and English Literature with a B in history of art, while Beatrice earned an A in drama and Bs in history and film studies, later completing a 2:1 in History of Ideas at Goldsmiths. Eugenie studied English Literature, History of Art and Politics at Newcastle and graduated with a 2:1 in 2012.

King Charles, then Prince of Wales, left Gordonstoun with five O-levels and two A levels, a B in history and a C in French. He later earned a 2:2 in History at Cambridge University. Lady Louise Windsor, the youngest granddaughter of the Queen, passed A levels in 2022 and began university studies at St Andrews, though Buckingham Palace did not publish her exam results.

The royal education snapshot shows a broad range of paths, not a single formula. Some royals pursue traditional university routes, while others follow different journeys that fit their public duties. The mix challenges stereotypes that private schooling guarantees top grades and highlights how personal choices shape a life of public service as much as exam papers do.

Coverage of royal schooling also raises questions about privacy, privilege and the public’s interest in elite pathways. By presenting varied outcomes, the story invites readers to consider how education intersects with duty, image and legacy in a monarchy that remains intensely scrutinized by a global audience.

Highlights

Education travels its own road, even for a family in the public eye.