Prince Harry and Meghan’s UK School Search: Five Exclusive Cotswolds Options for Archie and Lilibet

After six years living in the United States, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have returned to the UK with their two children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five.

The family is expected to spend “extended periods” in Britain and has secured a base outside London, reportedly somewhere in the Cotswolds. The exact location has not been disclosed for security reasons, particularly as the Sussexes continue their long-running battle with the Home Office over security arrangements.

One important detail has emerged, however: Archie and Lilibet have been enrolled in a UK school.

Harry and Meghan have not publicly revealed which school they have chosen. But with their reported base thought to be in the Cotswolds, several prestigious independent schools in the surrounding area could potentially fit the requirements for Archie, who would enter Year 3, and Lilibet, who would enter Year 1.

Here are five of the schools that stand out.

Beaudesert Park School, Gloucestershire

Set among the rolling Cotswold countryside, Beaudesert Park School provides co-educational education for children aged three to 13. The school occupies a Tudor Revival manor house overlooking its extensive grounds.

Fees are £9,520 per term, while a complete new uniform and sportswear kit can cost between £450 and £700.

Its royal connections would make it particularly notable in the context of Harry and Meghan’s children. Previous pupils have included Zara Tindall, who attended during the 1980s, as well as Peter Phillips’ daughters Savannah and Isla, who left in 2024 and 2025 respectively. Mia Tindall, Zara’s eldest daughter, is also believed to attend.

The school has also educated former England rugby player Nick Abendanon, author Dick King-Smith and British adventurer Jake Meyer.

Outside the classroom, pupils can take part in activities including golf, archery, fencing and Greek. There is also a recording studio and a woodland Forest School programme aimed at younger pupils.

For Archie, there would be opportunities to explore activities such as polo or calligraphy, while Lilibet could take part in the Forest School programme.

Kitebrook Preparatory School, Gloucestershire

Kitebrook Preparatory School, founded in 1959, is another co-educational school catering for children aged three to 13.

The school is housed in a Georgian country manor constructed from the distinctive honey-coloured stone associated with the Cotswolds and sits within more than 20 acres of landscaped grounds.

Its location could also be appealing for a family hoping to remain relatively close to King Charles. The school is less than a 90-minute drive from Highgrove House, the King’s Gloucestershire residence.

Day fees range from £5,340 to £6,117 per term, depending on year group. Weekly and flexible boarding options cost between £4,319 and £8,917 per term, while uniforms are estimated at between £650 and £950 per pupil.

Kitebrook offers considerably more than traditional classroom subjects. Activities include coding, den building, choir, woodwind orchestra and karate. Pupils can also take part in off-site activities involving shooting, golf and equestrian sports.

Hatherop Castle School, Cirencester

For a school with an extraordinary setting, Hatherop Castle School would certainly stand out.

Located in the Gloucestershire countryside, the school occupies a 16th-century Tudor castle that was extensively restored during the mid-19th century in the Gothic Revival style.

Its setting is matched by a wide range of extracurricular opportunities. Alongside more traditional clubs, pupils can explore musical theatre, Lego robotics, mindfulness, enamelling and mountain biking.

The school does not have direct modern connections to the Royal Family, although the estate has an unusual royal historical link. It was once leased to the exiled Maharaja Duleep Singh, a close friend of Queen Victoria. She later granted grace-and-favour royal properties to his daughters.

The school also has a notable literary connection, having educated author Nancy Mitford, one of the famous Mitford sisters.

Termly fees range from £6,180 to £7,555, while uniforms are estimated to cost between £550 and £750.

St Hugh’s School, Oxfordshire

Another possible option lies just outside Gloucestershire in Faringdon, Oxfordshire.

St Hugh’s School is based in a Grade II-listed Jacobean country manor, complete with a striking stone exterior, formal lawns and surrounding woodland.

Termly fees range from £5,805 to £9,760, depending on the pupil’s age. Families can also expect uniform costs of approximately £400 to £700.

The school has an academic and extracurricular offering that extends well beyond the traditional curriculum.

Children can choose from activities including chess, coding, gardening, radio club, orchestra, ancient Greek, judo, badminton and lacrosse.

Among its notable former pupils is General Kumaramangalam, who previously served as head of the Indian Army.

Pinewood School, Oxfordshire

Pinewood School in Shrivenham provides another prestigious countryside option.

The school is set across an 84-acre estate and occupies a substantial Cotswold stone manor overlooking landscaped formal gardens.

Fees range from £4,060 to £9,380 per term, depending on the pupil’s age, while a complete uniform is estimated at between £250 and £450 per child.

Its location could also be convenient for the Sussexes, as the school is within an hour of King Charles’ Highgrove estate in neighbouring Gloucestershire.

Pinewood offers a particularly broad programme of activities. Younger pupils can take part in ballet and the Little Chefs club, while older children have access to activities ranging from Cosmic Kids Yoga and fencing to photography, bushcraft and synchronised dance swimming.

Where could Archie and Lilibet go?

At present, there is no public confirmation that Harry and Meghan have selected any of these five schools.

The Sussexes have kept details of their children’s education private, just as they have withheld the precise location of their UK home for security reasons.

What is known is that Archie and Lilibet have been enrolled in a UK school as their parents prepare to spend extended periods in Britain.

With a home reportedly based in or around the Cotswolds, proximity to Highgrove could also be a practical consideration, particularly given that King Charles lives nearby.

For Archie, entering Year 3, and Lilibet, entering Year 1, the region offers a remarkable choice of prestigious schools — from institutions with direct royal connections to historic country estates offering everything from equestrian activities and fencing to coding, music and outdoor education.

Until Harry and Meghan decide to reveal more, however, the exact school attended by Archie and Lilibet remains private.