Prince Edward tells Sky News of ‘ups and downs’ of homeschooling his children

Prince Edward admits his children are ‘chalk and cheese’ when it comes to homeschooling and says that Lady Louise, 17, has ‘struggled’ while her younger brother thinks it’s ‘fantastic’

  • Prince Edward said two children have been ‘chalk and cheese’ at homeschooling
  • The earl said that Lady Louise, 17, has ‘struggled a bit with the online learning’
  • He added that Viscount James, 13, ‘thinks being at home and online is fantastic’

Parents and children alike have been dealing with the ups and downs of homsechooling for large chunks of the past year, and now Prince Edward has opened up about his own family’s experient. 

Speaking to Sky News, the Earl of Wessex said that his two teenage children have been ‘chalk and cheese’ when it comes to homeschooling, admitting that his daughter Louise has ‘struggled’, while her younger brother James thinks it’s ‘fantastic’.

The Earl of Wessex, 56, shares Lady Louise , 17, and James, Viscount Severn, 13, with Sophie, Countess of Wessex, 56, and lives at Bagshot Park in Surrey. 

The Queen’s youngest son told Sky News: ‘The eldest one, Louise, she had her GCSEs interrupted last year, so we went through that whole pain of just having all of that suddenly taken away.

‘And so she sort of struggles a bit with the online learning because she’d much prefer to be with everyone…

Prince Edward has revealed his two teenage children Lady Louise, 17, and Viscount James, 13, have been ‘chalk and cheese’ when it comes to homeschooling (Pictured in 2019 L-R: Viscount James, Prince Edward, Lady Louise and Sophie, Countess of Wessex)

‘My younger one frankly thinks being at home and online is fantastic.

‘I have to say half term came at just the right time because it was very interesting the frustrations that were beginning to show – and I reckon we weren’t the only family to have experienced that.

‘I count our blessings that we’re lucky where we are.’

He highlighted the importance of projects such as the Duke Of Edinburgh programme, which was set up by his father Prince Philip 65 years ago. 

Prince Edward told Sky News that Lady Louise 'struggles a bit with the online learning because she'd much prefer to be with everyone' while Viscount James 'frankly thinks being at home and online is fantastic'

Prince Edward told Sky News that Lady Louise ‘struggles a bit with the online learning because she’d much prefer to be with everyone’ while Viscount James ‘frankly thinks being at home and online is fantastic’ 

The Earl of Wessex has been involved in the scheme for 30 years and said it’s important for young people to have something to aim for, after a year of homeschooling for many. 

Prince Edward also gave the publication an update on Prince Philip’s health, after he was admitted to King Edward VII Hospital in London on Tuesday last week. 

He revealed the Royal Family were keeping their ‘fingers crossed’ for the Duke of Edinburgh – but he was doing ‘a lot better’. 

He said: ‘He’s a lot better and he’s looking forward to getting out, which is the most positive thing. So we keep our fingers crossed.’   

Prince Edward also gave the publication an update on Prince Philip's (pictured) health, after he was admitted to King Edward VII Hospital in London on Tuesday last week. The earl revealed the Royal Family were keeping their 'fingers crossed' for the Duke of Edinburgh - but he was doing 'a lot better'

Prince Edward also gave the publication an update on Prince Philip’s (pictured) health, after he was admitted to King Edward VII Hospital in London on Tuesday last week. The earl revealed the Royal Family were keeping their ‘fingers crossed’ for the Duke of Edinburgh – but he was doing ‘a lot better’

The Duke’s stay at the hospital in Marylebone entered its 10th day today – his longest medical admission for at least a decade without a pre-planned operation. Philip, 99, remains in the exclusive private hospital amid continuing concerns for his health after the palace initially said he was only expected to stay in for a few days.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said in a statement issued at 3pm today: ‘The Duke of Edinburgh remains at King Edward VII’s Hospital where he is receiving medical attention for an infection. 

‘He is comfortable and responding to treatment but is not expected to leave hospital for several days.’